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Library | Material Type | Item Barcode | Shelf Number | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Fairfield Area Library | Book | 38674121259582 | FICTION FINKBEI | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
When Annie Jacobson's brother Mike enlists as a medic in the Army in 1967, he hands her a piece of paper with the address of their long-estranged father. If anything should happen to him in Vietnam, Mike says, Annie must let their father know.
In Mike's absence, their father returns to face tragedy at home, adding an extra measure of complication to an already tense time. As they work toward healing and pray fervently for Mike's safety overseas, letter by letter the Jacobsons must find a way to pull together as a family, regardless of past hurts. In the tumult of this time, Annie and her family grapple with the tension of holding both hope and grief in the same hand, even as they learn to turn to the One who binds the wounds of the brokenhearted.
Author Susie Finkbeiner invites you into the Jacobson family's home and hearts during a time in which the chaos of the outside world touched their small community in ways they never imagined.
"Finkbeiner's characters believably navigate the emotional upheaval of war, and she skillfully depicts how the Jacobson's slowly open up to one another, emerging with greater strength, faith, and mutual respect."-- Publishers Weekly
"The small-town experience and connect readers deeply to characters who cry, cringe, and are, ultimately, able to rest assured that all will be well."-- Booklist , starred review
"Susie Finkbeiner's new novel captures that fraught time with beauty and gentleness. . . . A beautiful, arresting novel."-- The Banner
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Finkbeiner (A Cup of Dust) explores the ravages of war and the power of reconciliation in her satisfying latest. In a small, fictional Michigan town, 18-year-old Annie Jacobson is about to have her family torn apart by war for the second time. Annie's father, who abandoned the family when Annie was only six, has been unable to conquer the demons that followed him home from Korea. Mike, Annie's brother, enlists in the Army as a medic and is sent to Vietnam. In a departing note to Annie, Mike reveals Frank's address and instructs her to contact Frank if something should happen to him. But when Frank returns for his father's funeral, the family must confront past hurts and form new bonds as Mike's experience in Vietnam becomes increasingly dire. Finkbeiner's characters believably navigate the emotional upheaval of war, and she skillfully depicts how the Jacobsons slowly open up to one another, emerging with greater strength, faith, and mutual respect. This stirring tale will appeal to fans of Jody Hedlund. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
When Annie Jacobson's father, Frank, disappeared after serving in Korea, her older brother, Mike, stepped up to hold their family together. So when Mike enlists and is sent to serve in Vietnam, things quickly begin to unravel at home, precipitating, to Annie's surprise, Frank's unexpected return. As her family struggles to find new normalcy with the imbalance Frank brings, the community's social dissonances are coming to a head, and the country grapples with the intensely charged reactions to the Vietnam War. Annie finds herself in the middle of it all, uncertain what her future holds and with whom she will share it. Finkbeiner presents a powerful coming-of-age tale in observant wallflower Annie's voice with the added themes of grief, identity, and love. By eloquently balancing the emotional macro and micro experiences of individual and community, Finkbeiner creates a work that is beautifully poetic and unapologetically frank about the social and political complexities of 1967. Alternating between letters and Annie's narration, the book's honesty and period details tap into the veins of the small-town experience and connect readers deeply to characters who cry, cringe, and are, ultimately, able to rest assured that all will be well.--Kate Campos Copyright 2019 Booklist
