Review: An Author To Watch
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 13, 2012
Being an author should be a wonderful thing, but when a reviewer claims Hannah O'Brien's new novel is not fictional but in fact a memoir of her life with her neglectful alcoholic mother Hannah doesn't know what to do. Her mother Keeley has not even read the book but believes her daughter has written lies about her and completely cuts Hannah out of her life.Then Hannah life starts to fall apart and puts her engagement to Daniel at risk. Her landlord wants her to move to his daughter can live there instead. She just wants her mom back in her life.Barefoot Girls to the rescue. These women have been friends forever. They spent their summers growing up on Captain's Island and still spend a month there together each year. When Hannah was a baby that all took care of her. They convince Keeley to send Hannah the keys to the "Barefoot House". Hannah grabs the chance to visit the little shack filled with memories.Maybe she can sort out her life if she gets away.She needs understand her troubled childhood before she can move on.Dollycas's ThoughtsI enjoyed this book. The story goes back and forth from past to present. Through a series of flashbacks we get to see the lives of Keeley, Amy, Zooey, and Pam's as they come of age on Captain's Island. Friends through thick and thin. Each of their families are unique as our their own relationships. As we see their lives today their friendship is still as strong as ever and they all love Hannah so much.It is a very emotional story complete with several twists that moved the story. The mother's denial upset me a bit. To believe a reviewer over her own child without ever reading the whole story. Authors draw inspiration from so many sources. Keeley was a very complicated character and as the story develops the reader gets some understanding but it was a hurdle for me. I wanted to reach into the pages and hug Hannah so tightly.All the characters are rich and perfectly imperfect. The reader becomes quickly invested in their lives. Even one very troubled soul.The setting sounds like a terrific place to escape. We should all take a little time to get away from all the conveniences in life. Not sure how long I would last without electricity but the beach and a bag of books could keep me content for quite awhile.Tara McTiernan is definitely an author I am going to watch. She has a wonderful debut with this story. I am looking forward to reading more of her work.