Although I have a bunch of books that I am now ready to write about, I'm going to start with the most recent because it was probably my favorite. I found The Sisters, by Nancy Jensen, on a bargain table at the bookstore down here that sucks up all my money. And for the record, I've found that some of the best books are found hidden on the sale tables.
Anyway, it took me a few months to getting around to reading it with that endless list of mine, but once I did I couldn't put it down. It is the story of Bertie and Mabel, two orphaned sisters living with their drunk of at step dad in the 1920s. The girls are all each other has in the world, and Mabel would do anything to protect Bertie. However, on the day of Bertie's 8th grade graduation, she discovers that her step dad has hung himself and her boyfriend and her sister have run away together. Heartbroken, Bertie is left alone with questions and no way to get answers.
The story then follows the sisters and their descendants through the next 90 years and three generations, through the Great Depression, World War II, and Vietnam and into the new millennium. We see how misunderstandings, stubbornness, and silence can change your entire life.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved figuring out the ages of each character every chapter and trying to picture them in that era, from their hair and clothes to the type of music they'd be listening to. I loved the historical references. And of course, I loved the strong female characters. It was frustrating to know as an outsider that everything would be fixed if Bertie and Mabel just talked to each other instead of remaining alone out of stubbornness and fear. I thought that The Sisters was a great story and taught a great lesson.
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