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The Accidentals
Following the death of their mother from a botched backwoods abortion, the McAlister daughters have to cope with the ripple effect of this tragedy as they come of age in 1950s Mississippi and then grow up to face their own impossible choices —an unforgettable, beautiful novel that is threaded throughout with the stories of mothers and daughters in pre-Roe versus Wade America.
“Life heads down back alleys, takes sharp left turns. Then, one fine day it jumps the track and crashes.”
In the fall of 1957, Olivia McAlister is living in Opelika, Mississippi, caring for her two girls, June and Grace, and her husband, Holly. She dreams of living a much larger life--seeing the world and returning to her wartime job at a landing boat factory in New Orleans. As she watches over the birds in her yard, Olivia feels like an “accidental”—a migratory bird blown off course.
When Olivia becomes pregnant again, she makes a fateful decision, compelling Grace, June, and Holly to cope in different ways. While their father digs up the backyard to build a bomb shelter, desperate to protect his family, Olivia’s spinster sister tries to take them all under her wing. But the impact of Olivia’s decision reverberates throughout Grace’s and June’s lives. Grace, caught up in an unconventional love affair, becomes one of the “girls who went away” to have a baby in secret. June, guilt-ridden for her part in exposing Grace’s pregnancy, eventually makes an unhappy marriage. Meanwhile Ed Mae Johnson, an African-American care worker in a New Orleans orphanage, is drastically impacted by Grace’s choices.
As the years go by, their lives intersect in ways that reflect the unpredictable nature of bird flight that lands in accidental locations—and the consolations of imperfect return.
Filled with tragedy, humor, joy, and the indomitable strength of women facing the constricted spaces of the 1950s and 60s, The Accidentals is a poignant, timely novel that reminds us of the hope and consolation that can be found in unexpected landings.
“Life heads down back alleys, takes sharp left turns. Then, one fine day it jumps the track and crashes.”
In the fall of 1957, Olivia McAlister is living in Opelika, Mississippi, caring for her two girls, June and Grace, and her husband, Holly. She dreams of living a much larger life--seeing the world and returning to her wartime job at a landing boat factory in New Orleans. As she watches over the birds in her yard, Olivia feels like an “accidental”—a migratory bird blown off course.
When Olivia becomes pregnant again, she makes a fateful decision, compelling Grace, June, and Holly to cope in different ways. While their father digs up the backyard to build a bomb shelter, desperate to protect his family, Olivia’s spinster sister tries to take them all under her wing. But the impact of Olivia’s decision reverberates throughout Grace’s and June’s lives. Grace, caught up in an unconventional love affair, becomes one of the “girls who went away” to have a baby in secret. June, guilt-ridden for her part in exposing Grace’s pregnancy, eventually makes an unhappy marriage. Meanwhile Ed Mae Johnson, an African-American care worker in a New Orleans orphanage, is drastically impacted by Grace’s choices.
As the years go by, their lives intersect in ways that reflect the unpredictable nature of bird flight that lands in accidental locations—and the consolations of imperfect return.
Filled with tragedy, humor, joy, and the indomitable strength of women facing the constricted spaces of the 1950s and 60s, The Accidentals is a poignant, timely novel that reminds us of the hope and consolation that can be found in unexpected landings.
416 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 2019
221 people are currently reading
3022 people want to read
About the author
Minrose Gwin
12 books172 followersMinrose Gwin is the author of three novels: The Queen of Palmyra, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick and a finalist for the John Gardner Fiction Book Award; Promise; and The Accidentals. Wishing for Snow, her 2004 memoir about the convergence of poetry and psychosis in her mother’s life, was reissued by Harper Perennial in 2011. Wearing another hat, she has written four books of literary and cultural criticism and history, most recently Remembering Medgar Evers: Writing the Long Civil Rights Movement, and coedited The Literature of the American South, a Norton anthology. Minrose began her career as a newspaper reporter. Since then, she has taught as a professor at universities across the country, most recently the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Like the characters in Promise, she grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
August 22, 2019
Minrose Gwin has written a beautiful story packed with Drama, tragedy, family, and hope. Life is complicated and the characters in this story had way more than their fair share of complicated situations. This family drama spans five decades of hurt and healing. The primary focus of the story is on sisters Grace and June, but we do get the point of view of several other characters. The story starts off with the death of Grace and June’s mother after a botched backstreet abortion. Grace carries around a lot of grief and guilt in regards to the death of her mother and this leads to some questionable choices in her own life. June is also struggling and this leads to her own poor decisions. When June betrays her sister in a big way a huge divide develops both physically and emotionally in the girls relationship. What follows is a heartbreaking story of hardship and regret that will eventually bring the sisters back together, and it only takes 50 years.
The book really makes you think about limitations that women had in the 1950s and 1960s. I personally thought that the issues that the women in this book struggled with and how they overcame them or didn’t really was the best part of the story. I’m not certain if I liked either Grace or June, but I really was rooting for them, these girls had a hard life. There were a few places the book fell a little flat for me. There was just way too much going on. I know the author was trying to give us a sense of time and place, but in doing so I think a lot was overlooked (everything having to do with the spacerace I felt that have been left out). The book was also extremely lopsided, most of the book focus on the first 10 years of the sisters lives and then raced through the final 40 years. I think I would’ve preferred it to end after the first 10 years and then conclude with a apologue. I mean I did not mind the book being wrapped up in a nice little bow, but it jumped around aimlessly in order to get there. But as I said this was such a small part of the book that it didn’t really bother me, for the most part I was thoroughly invested in the sisters lives.
*** Big thanks to William Morrow for my copy of this book ***
The book really makes you think about limitations that women had in the 1950s and 1960s. I personally thought that the issues that the women in this book struggled with and how they overcame them or didn’t really was the best part of the story. I’m not certain if I liked either Grace or June, but I really was rooting for them, these girls had a hard life. There were a few places the book fell a little flat for me. There was just way too much going on. I know the author was trying to give us a sense of time and place, but in doing so I think a lot was overlooked (everything having to do with the spacerace I felt that have been left out). The book was also extremely lopsided, most of the book focus on the first 10 years of the sisters lives and then raced through the final 40 years. I think I would’ve preferred it to end after the first 10 years and then conclude with a apologue. I mean I did not mind the book being wrapped up in a nice little bow, but it jumped around aimlessly in order to get there. But as I said this was such a small part of the book that it didn’t really bother me, for the most part I was thoroughly invested in the sisters lives.
*** Big thanks to William Morrow for my copy of this book ***
August 22, 2019
Olivia McAllister lives in 1950s Opelika, Mississippi with her husband, Holly, and two young daughters, June and Grace. Olivia wishes more doors were open for her. She misses her wartime job at the landing boat factory.
Olivia becomes pregnant and makes a decision, one that leaves her daughters without their mother. Her sister tries to step in and help them all. The effects of Olivia’s decision can be felt all the way to Grace and June’s adulthood’s. Grace has a baby in secret, and June ends up in an unhappy marriage.
There are some beautiful anecdotes here about birds and accidental landings.
The Accidentals is a timely and powerful story. I’m not sure I’ve read a book that addresses these types of overwhelmingly difficult choices some women made during this time period in the south. The writing is exquisite, and I was completely invested in June and Grace’s lives. I could feel the author’s care for these characters in how she wrote them and in their complexity.
Overall, I plan to read every book Minrose Gwin has written. She’s my kind of writer, one that weaves an indelible tale.
Sidenote: It’s pretty cool that the author taught at my alma mater.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Olivia becomes pregnant and makes a decision, one that leaves her daughters without their mother. Her sister tries to step in and help them all. The effects of Olivia’s decision can be felt all the way to Grace and June’s adulthood’s. Grace has a baby in secret, and June ends up in an unhappy marriage.
There are some beautiful anecdotes here about birds and accidental landings.
The Accidentals is a timely and powerful story. I’m not sure I’ve read a book that addresses these types of overwhelmingly difficult choices some women made during this time period in the south. The writing is exquisite, and I was completely invested in June and Grace’s lives. I could feel the author’s care for these characters in how she wrote them and in their complexity.
Overall, I plan to read every book Minrose Gwin has written. She’s my kind of writer, one that weaves an indelible tale.
Sidenote: It’s pretty cool that the author taught at my alma mater.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
August 21, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
My sister and I don’t often go in the room where Dad sleeps. Our mother’s blood made a dark lake on the wood floor by the bed… We open our mother’s drawers and touch her things, drawing them to our faces, then lift up a corner of the rug to look at the stain. It is a secret thing we do together and don’t talk about afterward.
We kept our distance from our aunt’s person. Frances had what June and I referred to as the Lady Schoolteacher Smell, a cross between dust and mold, chalk and cloves, face powder and powdered milk. The smell wasn’t unpleasant exactly, but being around her called to mind antique shops and stuffed animals that had once been alive.
Baby Girl, she was the be-all end-all of ugly. Looked like some kind of evil slapped that child upside the head, said, There, take that, be a big old ugly catfish. Hooked and brought up hard. All she needed was a set of whiskers and a tail.
Where I come from, people say you’re expecting, as if it’s a package coming in the mail or the plumber. I shudder when I think of telling my poor father I’m expecting. What will he say? What are the odds? How many females in one family can get knocked up? We’re obviously fertile as turtles and reproductively challenged; in my case, this new thing called the pill being nearly impossible to come by if you’re a nice unmarried girl in Tennessee.
My mother had taught me to always say ma’am to white women, but to always cross my fingers when I said it. Much as I hated myself for doing it, every now and then a ma’am would pop out of my mouth like a sneeze you can’t hold back.
My Review:
This was a slowly building, beautifully nuanced, and thoughtfully written book, full of perceptive observations, colorful descriptions, and oddly compelling characters. Written from multiple points of view (which I greatly enjoyed) and covering a lifetime of unexpected complexities and daunting experiences for each character, the engaging storylines were expertly textured though not always comfortable as each character faced numerous hardships and unique challenges. It was as if this family was cursed!
Ms. Gwin’s writing was highly descriptive as well as evocative, emotive, and poignant. She squeezed my heart but she also pulled more than a few smirks and barked chuckles for balance. It was not an easy or pleasant era to live through for women and minorities; I remember many of the events and trends mentioned all too well and not at all fondly. It was more than a bit eye-opening and a pleasant relief to realize how far we’ve advanced from those stilted limitations, and constricting and ignorant social mores of the time. There are still vast areas in need of improvement, which I am still hoping to see before my final dirt nap.
My sister and I don’t often go in the room where Dad sleeps. Our mother’s blood made a dark lake on the wood floor by the bed… We open our mother’s drawers and touch her things, drawing them to our faces, then lift up a corner of the rug to look at the stain. It is a secret thing we do together and don’t talk about afterward.
We kept our distance from our aunt’s person. Frances had what June and I referred to as the Lady Schoolteacher Smell, a cross between dust and mold, chalk and cloves, face powder and powdered milk. The smell wasn’t unpleasant exactly, but being around her called to mind antique shops and stuffed animals that had once been alive.
Baby Girl, she was the be-all end-all of ugly. Looked like some kind of evil slapped that child upside the head, said, There, take that, be a big old ugly catfish. Hooked and brought up hard. All she needed was a set of whiskers and a tail.
Where I come from, people say you’re expecting, as if it’s a package coming in the mail or the plumber. I shudder when I think of telling my poor father I’m expecting. What will he say? What are the odds? How many females in one family can get knocked up? We’re obviously fertile as turtles and reproductively challenged; in my case, this new thing called the pill being nearly impossible to come by if you’re a nice unmarried girl in Tennessee.
My mother had taught me to always say ma’am to white women, but to always cross my fingers when I said it. Much as I hated myself for doing it, every now and then a ma’am would pop out of my mouth like a sneeze you can’t hold back.
My Review:
This was a slowly building, beautifully nuanced, and thoughtfully written book, full of perceptive observations, colorful descriptions, and oddly compelling characters. Written from multiple points of view (which I greatly enjoyed) and covering a lifetime of unexpected complexities and daunting experiences for each character, the engaging storylines were expertly textured though not always comfortable as each character faced numerous hardships and unique challenges. It was as if this family was cursed!
Ms. Gwin’s writing was highly descriptive as well as evocative, emotive, and poignant. She squeezed my heart but she also pulled more than a few smirks and barked chuckles for balance. It was not an easy or pleasant era to live through for women and minorities; I remember many of the events and trends mentioned all too well and not at all fondly. It was more than a bit eye-opening and a pleasant relief to realize how far we’ve advanced from those stilted limitations, and constricting and ignorant social mores of the time. There are still vast areas in need of improvement, which I am still hoping to see before my final dirt nap.
August 19, 2019
This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me, to the point that, despite having finished reading this a few days ago, I’m still struggling to gather my thoughts together so I can write a coherent review. On the surface, the story sounds simple enough: it is the year 1957 and the McAlister family – Olivia, her husband Holly, their 2 young daughters Grace and June – live an ordinary life in the small town of Opelika, Mississippi. Holly is a bookkeeper at the local lumber mill while Olivia is a stay-at-home mother whose only pastime outside of taking care of the household is watching over the birds that seem to like making a home in the family’s backyard. As an interracial family living in a society where the seeds of racial divide were starting to fester, the McAlisters kept to themselves as much as possible, often not engaging much with the outside world aside from the regular routine of work and school. Feeling restless and blown off course, Olivia dreams of returning to the much larger life she had prior to her marriage, where she ran the main office for a landing boat factory in New Orleans, during a time when everyone was treated the same regardless of the color of one’s skin. It is this feeling of being blow off course to a place where she doesn’t belong -- similar to the “accidentals” (migratory birds found outside of their normal geographic range) she sometimes sees in her yard – that triggers a strong reaction in Olivia when she finds out that she is pregnant again. The fateful decision that Olivia makes sets in motion a trajectory that has an unexpected and drastic impact not only on her husband and daughters, but also on other individuals whose lives end up intersecting with her family’s.
There were things that I felt worked well with this story, the biggest one being character development, especially with the two sisters at the center of the story – Grace and June. However, even the “supporting” characters were well-developed, which is especially significant given the fact that these characters only feature once or twice in the story, yet I felt like I knew them as well as I knew the main characters. Having each chapter alternately narrated from the first person perspective of the various characters definitely helped, as each was able to provide some insight into their relevant backstories. I also thought it was clever how the title and the overall theme of birds and nature were incorporated into the story. The parallels between the flight patterns of the “accidentals” and how the characters led their lives were interesting and elevated the story a bit for me from a literary standpoint.
With that said, there were quite a few things about this book that frustrated me and therefore made the reading experience a bit tedious. First and foremost was the writing, which was inconsistent — there were some sections where the descriptions were either too vague or abstract imagery was used to refer to something that could’ve been described in a more straightforward manner (i.e.: pregnancy), which at times made it difficult to understand what was happening in a particular scene. At the same time, there were also sections that dwelled too much on descriptions that didn’t seem to have much to do with the plot (something that I like to call “gratuitous descriptive imagery”). The other issue was the pacing of the story, which, as other reviewers have commented, was a bit messy. The story supposedly spanned a 50 year timeframe, however as the story progressed, the only indication there was of the time period was the mention of various historical events, mostly referenced only in passing. In terms of subject matter, the story did touch on some pretty heavy societal topics such as abortion, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, racism and segregation, mental illness, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc., but most were only glossed over and not explored in-depth. It seemed that the story tried to cover too much ground, which caused its focus to waver and made the story a bit hard to follow.
Overall, this book had a lot of potential and is definitely worth a read, it’s just that it would’ve been better if the story had been more focused and more tightly written. Now of course, it’s possible the story was deliberately written this way in keeping with the “accidentals” theme, which is fine, just need to be aware going in that more focus may be needed when reading.
Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.
There were things that I felt worked well with this story, the biggest one being character development, especially with the two sisters at the center of the story – Grace and June. However, even the “supporting” characters were well-developed, which is especially significant given the fact that these characters only feature once or twice in the story, yet I felt like I knew them as well as I knew the main characters. Having each chapter alternately narrated from the first person perspective of the various characters definitely helped, as each was able to provide some insight into their relevant backstories. I also thought it was clever how the title and the overall theme of birds and nature were incorporated into the story. The parallels between the flight patterns of the “accidentals” and how the characters led their lives were interesting and elevated the story a bit for me from a literary standpoint.
With that said, there were quite a few things about this book that frustrated me and therefore made the reading experience a bit tedious. First and foremost was the writing, which was inconsistent — there were some sections where the descriptions were either too vague or abstract imagery was used to refer to something that could’ve been described in a more straightforward manner (i.e.: pregnancy), which at times made it difficult to understand what was happening in a particular scene. At the same time, there were also sections that dwelled too much on descriptions that didn’t seem to have much to do with the plot (something that I like to call “gratuitous descriptive imagery”). The other issue was the pacing of the story, which, as other reviewers have commented, was a bit messy. The story supposedly spanned a 50 year timeframe, however as the story progressed, the only indication there was of the time period was the mention of various historical events, mostly referenced only in passing. In terms of subject matter, the story did touch on some pretty heavy societal topics such as abortion, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, racism and segregation, mental illness, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc., but most were only glossed over and not explored in-depth. It seemed that the story tried to cover too much ground, which caused its focus to waver and made the story a bit hard to follow.
Overall, this book had a lot of potential and is definitely worth a read, it’s just that it would’ve been better if the story had been more focused and more tightly written. Now of course, it’s possible the story was deliberately written this way in keeping with the “accidentals” theme, which is fine, just need to be aware going in that more focus may be needed when reading.
Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.
September 22, 2019
Olivia McAlister found purpose in her job at a landing boat factory in New Orleans during WWII. She had big dreams for her life, but those dreams were lost in the small town of Opelika, Mississippi. Married to her husband Holly, with two young girls, June and Grace. Not interested in socializing, Olivia takes pleasure in bird watching. When she finds herself pregnant, she chooses to go to a backwoods abortionist, a decision that will prove to be fatal. Holly, June and Grace are lost without Olivia, each finding their own way of seeking solace, causing life alternating consequences.
What Grace discovers is this: "What I had yet to learn is how the eye can betray, abandoning us to orbit a vast outer darkness, dazed and alone. Forever too early, forever too late." Yet hope too could be found as in this quote: "One of the few things I'd come to pride myself on having learned to take pleasure in things nobody else would think twice about. I had no expectations so I was constantly surprised by small pleasures."
Decisions they made affected their relationships going forward. For June, in looking back thinks this: "Sometimes now, I feel I'm still backing up those stairs, avoiding the spaces between, where the darkness dwells and beckons. Sometimes still, I picture myself pulling my sister up step by step, the precarious world holding it's breath, always in danger of tipping. I'd like to leave us on those stairs, in the one long moment that has stretched over the years. I would end things right there, with that touch of our girlish hands.."
Told from multiple voices, the novel interweaves their life stories, their tragedies, regrets, joys, hopes and dreams.
The story is rather sad and depressing, but told with an honesty that was beautiful to read.
4.5 stars.
What Grace discovers is this: "What I had yet to learn is how the eye can betray, abandoning us to orbit a vast outer darkness, dazed and alone. Forever too early, forever too late." Yet hope too could be found as in this quote: "One of the few things I'd come to pride myself on having learned to take pleasure in things nobody else would think twice about. I had no expectations so I was constantly surprised by small pleasures."
Decisions they made affected their relationships going forward. For June, in looking back thinks this: "Sometimes now, I feel I'm still backing up those stairs, avoiding the spaces between, where the darkness dwells and beckons. Sometimes still, I picture myself pulling my sister up step by step, the precarious world holding it's breath, always in danger of tipping. I'd like to leave us on those stairs, in the one long moment that has stretched over the years. I would end things right there, with that touch of our girlish hands.."
Told from multiple voices, the novel interweaves their life stories, their tragedies, regrets, joys, hopes and dreams.
The story is rather sad and depressing, but told with an honesty that was beautiful to read.
4.5 stars.
July 7, 2019
1957, Opelika, Mississippi. June and Grace's mother Olivia McAlister makes the bad decision to have a backwoods abortion. This decision leads to her death and June and Grace's lives forever changed. Their father Holly can't really deal with the loss, and Olivia's unmarried sister tries to help them out. Then, tragedy strikes again when Grace becomes pregnant and has to go away to give birth in secret so nobody would know. Back home June is waiting. She's the one that told their father about the pregnancy and she feels that it is all her fault. Now she waits for her sister to come home again. However, Grace will never really recover from the ordeal of giving up her baby and the sister's life will never be as it was before.
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
August 21, 2019
This is a beautifully written novel about a family in the South from the 1950s to present day. It's full of love, betrayal, redemption and forgiveness within this family over the years. It is about history as disparate as the space race, the atomic bomb, women's reproductive rights, civil rights, women's rights and animal cruelty ... sounds like a lot of ground to cover but it is all fits well into the story lines. This is my first book by this author but because of the beautiful writing in this book, I intend to check out some of her earlier books.
This is a beautiful well written novel with two very strong female characters who are terribly flawed by what happened to their mother but try to live their lives as normally as possible during time periods that didn't give women much freedom in their lives about how to live their lives to its full potential.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
This is a beautiful well written novel with two very strong female characters who are terribly flawed by what happened to their mother but try to live their lives as normally as possible during time periods that didn't give women much freedom in their lives about how to live their lives to its full potential.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
June 13, 2019
There was so much about The Accidentals that didn't work for me. I don't even know where to start. It sounded like such a great story and I am a sucker for a good tragedy. Unfortunately, this fell so flat for me.
The author writes about some pretty heavy topics in this book - backwoods abortions, loss of a spouse/parent, grief, teen pregnancy, adoption, kidnapping, prison, unhappy partnerships, and redemption. It felt ambitious but I was looking forward to it. It ended up being a vague mess.
I know there is a golden rule in creative writing to "show don't tell" the reader what's happening but in The Accidentals it felt like that led to vague descriptions and a ton of missing details. I frequently found myself having to assume what was happening and wondering if I was correct. Situations or behavior would eventually be confirmed but not until a chapter or two later when more vague information was offered. It made me so frustrated. It felt like the author wanted to address tough subjects but then didn't really want to get into the meat of them which leads to the next point - the pacing was terrible.
The chapters alternate the character POV (which is fine) but huge chunks of time sometimes passed and there wasn't anything that ever fully explained how much time had passed. Months? A year? 2 years? 10 years? I could guesstimate and follow the story but there wasn't any actual confirmation. This got much worse in the second half of the book because it suddenly rushed through the final decades. The whole first half of the book spans maybe 4 - 8 years but the second half seems to fly through about 20 years. Again, I'm not really sure because details are missing.
I may be especially annoyed because the final chapter was such a letdown. The characters find themselves moving around a bit (Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, etc) but somehow end up in the same little town at the end which is just super convenient. Characters that had never met and lived in different cities are suddenly neighbors. The appearance of Josie at the end was cringe-worthy and so out of place. She felt shoehorned in to the story so everything could wrap up with a neat little bow. We hadn't seen her for half a book and when she reappears she's annoying and self-righteous. I'd have been happier if she didn't come back and we were just left with her story open-ended to imagine her life. Plus, Josie taking Ed Mae to vote for Barack Obama felt so forced and semi-racist. There was no point to that at all. I found the whole character depiction of Ed Mae to be a caricature stereotype of black women and to end with her voting for Obama was just a total cringe. It didn't fit the story at all and felt so awkward and weird although I guess it does finally confirm a timeline so there's that.
This book could have been really good and I admit there were chapters and occasional moments I really enjoyed but overall it was disappointing.
The author writes about some pretty heavy topics in this book - backwoods abortions, loss of a spouse/parent, grief, teen pregnancy, adoption, kidnapping, prison, unhappy partnerships, and redemption. It felt ambitious but I was looking forward to it. It ended up being a vague mess.
I know there is a golden rule in creative writing to "show don't tell" the reader what's happening but in The Accidentals it felt like that led to vague descriptions and a ton of missing details. I frequently found myself having to assume what was happening and wondering if I was correct. Situations or behavior would eventually be confirmed but not until a chapter or two later when more vague information was offered. It made me so frustrated. It felt like the author wanted to address tough subjects but then didn't really want to get into the meat of them which leads to the next point - the pacing was terrible.
The chapters alternate the character POV (which is fine) but huge chunks of time sometimes passed and there wasn't anything that ever fully explained how much time had passed. Months? A year? 2 years? 10 years? I could guesstimate and follow the story but there wasn't any actual confirmation. This got much worse in the second half of the book because it suddenly rushed through the final decades. The whole first half of the book spans maybe 4 - 8 years but the second half seems to fly through about 20 years. Again, I'm not really sure because details are missing.
I may be especially annoyed because the final chapter was such a letdown. The characters find themselves moving around a bit (Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, etc) but somehow end up in the same little town at the end which is just super convenient. Characters that had never met and lived in different cities are suddenly neighbors. The appearance of Josie at the end was cringe-worthy and so out of place. She felt shoehorned in to the story so everything could wrap up with a neat little bow. We hadn't seen her for half a book and when she reappears she's annoying and self-righteous. I'd have been happier if she didn't come back and we were just left with her story open-ended to imagine her life. Plus, Josie taking Ed Mae to vote for Barack Obama felt so forced and semi-racist. There was no point to that at all. I found the whole character depiction of Ed Mae to be a caricature stereotype of black women and to end with her voting for Obama was just a total cringe. It didn't fit the story at all and felt so awkward and weird although I guess it does finally confirm a timeline so there's that.
This book could have been really good and I admit there were chapters and occasional moments I really enjoyed but overall it was disappointing.
August 22, 2019
As young girls, sisters June and Grace lost their mother to a botched backwoods abortion. This sends the girls on a trajectory in their lives and this book is their story, spanning 50 years. The ripples of their mothers tragic choice affects their lives and their subsequent choices for decades to come.
This family saga starts off with a bang and I was completely enthralled with this family and their story. The sisters face a lot of heavy issues in their life, representative of the time period and the issues women faced in Mississippi during the 1950’s. I loved the beginning of the book but the end left a lot to be desired for me. This book felt very disjointed, with an excellent start and an almost laughable, very convenient, eye roll worthy ending. The Accidentals spans many generations and the author did it very well, with different points of view to enhance the storyline. I enjoyed many aspects of the book and that made it possible to overlook the ending that made me guffaw. For me, The Accidentals was ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @williammorrowbooks for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
This family saga starts off with a bang and I was completely enthralled with this family and their story. The sisters face a lot of heavy issues in their life, representative of the time period and the issues women faced in Mississippi during the 1950’s. I loved the beginning of the book but the end left a lot to be desired for me. This book felt very disjointed, with an excellent start and an almost laughable, very convenient, eye roll worthy ending. The Accidentals spans many generations and the author did it very well, with different points of view to enhance the storyline. I enjoyed many aspects of the book and that made it possible to overlook the ending that made me guffaw. For me, The Accidentals was ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @williammorrowbooks for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
August 7, 2019
It was the blurb of The Accidentals that caught my attention, promising a generational story focused primarily on two sisters, June and Grace McAlister, beginning in the 1950’s with the death of their mother, Olivia, from a botched backyard abortion.
I liked the first quarter of this novel, which concentrated on the sisters’ child and teen years after the loss of their mother, and feel that had Gwin kept this her focus, I would have been quite satisfied. Unfortunately I soon began to feel that the characters became passengers, rather than agents, of the story.
The author seemed determined to make reference to every topical social issue possible, including but not limited to, homosexuality, abortion, teen pregnancy, racism, ‘passing’, mental illness, gender inequality, Alzheimers, cancer, the rights of felons to vote, as well as touching on major cultural events such as WWII, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Challenger Disaster, and Obama’s Inaugural Presidential Run. As such, much like the birds - the ‘accidental’s’ that lose their way = so too does this story.
Which is a shame, because it’s clear that Gwin can write, and there was a lot of good here. It’s an emotionally charged novel, perhaps bleaker than I was expecting, but also often moving and sincere.
I didn’t dislike The Accidental’s, it just didn’t quite work for me, but it may well work for you.
I liked the first quarter of this novel, which concentrated on the sisters’ child and teen years after the loss of their mother, and feel that had Gwin kept this her focus, I would have been quite satisfied. Unfortunately I soon began to feel that the characters became passengers, rather than agents, of the story.
The author seemed determined to make reference to every topical social issue possible, including but not limited to, homosexuality, abortion, teen pregnancy, racism, ‘passing’, mental illness, gender inequality, Alzheimers, cancer, the rights of felons to vote, as well as touching on major cultural events such as WWII, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Challenger Disaster, and Obama’s Inaugural Presidential Run. As such, much like the birds - the ‘accidental’s’ that lose their way = so too does this story.
Which is a shame, because it’s clear that Gwin can write, and there was a lot of good here. It’s an emotionally charged novel, perhaps bleaker than I was expecting, but also often moving and sincere.
I didn’t dislike The Accidental’s, it just didn’t quite work for me, but it may well work for you.
August 27, 2019
4.5 Stars rounded up. This was a story that pulled me in, grabbed me, and left me wanting more. I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved the narration. I found myself listening when I should have been doing other things. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, did an amazing job and I felt I was there listening to the various characters tell their story. I was drawn to the characters and wanted to know more about what was happening in their lives, what directions they would take, what influenced them and more. That is the problem, I needed more to fill in some of the gaps. Minrose Gwin took on a daunting task, to tell the story of these characters over a fifty year period.
Olivia, her husband Holly and daughters June and Grace live in the 1950s in Mississippi. When Olivia gets pregnant, she determines that she is not ready to start over. Making her way to the backstreets, she has an abortion, a decision that will change the lives of her whole family and have ripple effects on others for many years to come. June and Grace have a wonderful relationship as young girls, until they don't. They both make choices in their lives that are a direct result of being raised without a mom and looking for love. I do not want to give away any of the story as it is a story that each reader needs to uncover on their own.
This brings me back to my one concern, the missing details. The first 15 years were well detailed and drew me into the lives of these characters. My emotions were all over hearing about the tragedy and sorrow caused by bad decisions. I wanted to know more, but suddenly, it was 20 years later. Then the last few chapters wrapped up the lives of the characters. I loved the ending of this story, how it was wrapped up, especially how it all came full circle, at least to the reader. As I read it, I felt the sisters were finally at peace with each other and their own decisions they made along the way.
This is a story about the decisions people make and their effects on themselves and others. It is a story showing how history has changed for the better for women and I believe this story would have been very different if the choices women have today had been available back in the 50s. It is the story showing how medical advances and attitudes to children born with physical or developmental problems have changed for the better. It also shows us how our attitudes to uneducated, African Americans have changed along the way as well, EdMae would have had a very different outcome in 2020. Overall, this was a wonderful read for me. I was immersed in this story, the period it occured, the setting of the south with the birds, the trees and the heat. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, added to that with her slower, drawl and the voices that allowed me to identify with the characters. A narrator I will not hesitate to listen to again. Minrose Gwin is an author that is new to me, but this will definitely not be the last time I read/listen to her work. The publisher of this audiobook generously provided me with a copy to listen to upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
Olivia, her husband Holly and daughters June and Grace live in the 1950s in Mississippi. When Olivia gets pregnant, she determines that she is not ready to start over. Making her way to the backstreets, she has an abortion, a decision that will change the lives of her whole family and have ripple effects on others for many years to come. June and Grace have a wonderful relationship as young girls, until they don't. They both make choices in their lives that are a direct result of being raised without a mom and looking for love. I do not want to give away any of the story as it is a story that each reader needs to uncover on their own.
This brings me back to my one concern, the missing details. The first 15 years were well detailed and drew me into the lives of these characters. My emotions were all over hearing about the tragedy and sorrow caused by bad decisions. I wanted to know more, but suddenly, it was 20 years later. Then the last few chapters wrapped up the lives of the characters. I loved the ending of this story, how it was wrapped up, especially how it all came full circle, at least to the reader. As I read it, I felt the sisters were finally at peace with each other and their own decisions they made along the way.
This is a story about the decisions people make and their effects on themselves and others. It is a story showing how history has changed for the better for women and I believe this story would have been very different if the choices women have today had been available back in the 50s. It is the story showing how medical advances and attitudes to children born with physical or developmental problems have changed for the better. It also shows us how our attitudes to uneducated, African Americans have changed along the way as well, EdMae would have had a very different outcome in 2020. Overall, this was a wonderful read for me. I was immersed in this story, the period it occured, the setting of the south with the birds, the trees and the heat. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, added to that with her slower, drawl and the voices that allowed me to identify with the characters. A narrator I will not hesitate to listen to again. Minrose Gwin is an author that is new to me, but this will definitely not be the last time I read/listen to her work. The publisher of this audiobook generously provided me with a copy to listen to upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
October 19, 2019
3.5/5
This story takes place in Mississippi in the 1950’s. Olivia is not enchanted at all by her life. She misses how things were before she married, and she longs to see Paris. She’s so disenchanted that when she finds herself pregnant, she despairs and seeks out an abortion. Olivia does not live through her botched abortion, and her decision has effects on her daughters and husband for many years.
Olivia’s scenes at the beginning of the book are really just the setup for the rest of the story, because most of the page time belongs to Grace and June after the loss of their mother. The story is told with multiple points-of-view, and I’m a huge fan of this structure. Obviously the main characters have perspectives, but there are also chapters from the perspective of regular, everyday people that the girls come in contact with here and there. The extra characters give more information about the issues Grace and June dealt with. They make the story more robust.
There is so much tragedy that come to these girls and this family. They never get over what their mother did, and neither does their father. Grace has severe feelings of guilt and even shame because she feels like she is largely responsible for her mother’s death. She and June carry this burden throughout their childhood and well into their adult lives. It’s heartbreaking and I really feel the weight of this story after I’ve finished. Yes, there are positive exchanges in here and even some chuckles, and I appreciate this look into women’s issues during this time in history, but I feel like all of the heartache and tragedy was just sitting on me while I read. I wanted these characters to be okay. I wanted happiness for them. And it just felt unattainable for the majority of the story.
Beautiful storytelling and a very good story. I expect that the author wanted us to really feel these characters’ lives and that the feelings I have after finishing this one are appropriate ones.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
This story takes place in Mississippi in the 1950’s. Olivia is not enchanted at all by her life. She misses how things were before she married, and she longs to see Paris. She’s so disenchanted that when she finds herself pregnant, she despairs and seeks out an abortion. Olivia does not live through her botched abortion, and her decision has effects on her daughters and husband for many years.
Olivia’s scenes at the beginning of the book are really just the setup for the rest of the story, because most of the page time belongs to Grace and June after the loss of their mother. The story is told with multiple points-of-view, and I’m a huge fan of this structure. Obviously the main characters have perspectives, but there are also chapters from the perspective of regular, everyday people that the girls come in contact with here and there. The extra characters give more information about the issues Grace and June dealt with. They make the story more robust.
There is so much tragedy that come to these girls and this family. They never get over what their mother did, and neither does their father. Grace has severe feelings of guilt and even shame because she feels like she is largely responsible for her mother’s death. She and June carry this burden throughout their childhood and well into their adult lives. It’s heartbreaking and I really feel the weight of this story after I’ve finished. Yes, there are positive exchanges in here and even some chuckles, and I appreciate this look into women’s issues during this time in history, but I feel like all of the heartache and tragedy was just sitting on me while I read. I wanted these characters to be okay. I wanted happiness for them. And it just felt unattainable for the majority of the story.
Beautiful storytelling and a very good story. I expect that the author wanted us to really feel these characters’ lives and that the feelings I have after finishing this one are appropriate ones.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
October 7, 2020
Top notch writing
...in this unusual, sensitive story that makes me ache at delicacy of humanity’s condition. This book should be a classic, and I can’t imagine why it’s Goodread scores aren’t popping off the charts. I am so glad to have discovered this literary gem!
...in this unusual, sensitive story that makes me ache at delicacy of humanity’s condition. This book should be a classic, and I can’t imagine why it’s Goodread scores aren’t popping off the charts. I am so glad to have discovered this literary gem!
August 12, 2019
3.5 stars.
The Accidentals by Minrose Gwin is a family saga that spans several decades.
In 1957, Olivia McAlister lives in a small Mississippi town with her husband Holly and their daughters June and Grace. Olivia wants nothing more than to move back to New Orleans and return to work, but Holly cannot find a job that pays as much as his current position. When she discovers she is pregnant again, Olivia makes an ill-fated decision that changes the course of her family's lives for years to come.
In the aftermath, Holly is devastated and with the threat of nuclear war a real possibility, he begins preparing to build a bomb shelter. He is also drinking too much and ignoring June and Olivia. The girls are left to fend for themselves until Olivia's unmarried sister Frances swoops in to help them. But her attention is short-lived and the girls are again neglected after their aunt returns to New Orleans.
Fast forward a few years and Grace is happily involved in an unusual romance. After a shocking discovery, she begins making plans that will hopefully provide her with the chance for happiness. But once June becomes involved, Grace has no choice over what happens next. This unfortunate series of events leaves Grace unable to forgive June and their once close relationship remains fractured over their lifetime. June also makes decisions that take her life down an unhappy path that she might not have necessarily chosen under different circumstances.
Perhaps the most tragic person whose life is touched by the McAlister family is African American care worker Ed Mae Johnson. A situation out of her control and a moment of inattention on her part culminate with devastating consequences.
Although the storyline is interesting, the pacing is slow and a bit disjointed. Some of the passages are a little vague which makes it difficult to understand what exactly is going on. Several paragraphs are long and rambling and do not add much to the unfolding story. The storyline covers several decades but readers must decipher the time period from vague mentions of cultural events. The chapters alternate between several characters' points of view but these transitions are clearly marked.
The Accidentals is an intriguing novel that is quite thought-provoking. The characters are interesting but not always easy to like. Minrose Gwin deftly handles difficult subject matter with sensitivity. While the majority of the novel is overshadowed by sadness, the conclusion is surprisingly uplifting and wraps up all of the various story arcs.
The Accidentals by Minrose Gwin is a family saga that spans several decades.
In 1957, Olivia McAlister lives in a small Mississippi town with her husband Holly and their daughters June and Grace. Olivia wants nothing more than to move back to New Orleans and return to work, but Holly cannot find a job that pays as much as his current position. When she discovers she is pregnant again, Olivia makes an ill-fated decision that changes the course of her family's lives for years to come.
In the aftermath, Holly is devastated and with the threat of nuclear war a real possibility, he begins preparing to build a bomb shelter. He is also drinking too much and ignoring June and Olivia. The girls are left to fend for themselves until Olivia's unmarried sister Frances swoops in to help them. But her attention is short-lived and the girls are again neglected after their aunt returns to New Orleans.
Fast forward a few years and Grace is happily involved in an unusual romance. After a shocking discovery, she begins making plans that will hopefully provide her with the chance for happiness. But once June becomes involved, Grace has no choice over what happens next. This unfortunate series of events leaves Grace unable to forgive June and their once close relationship remains fractured over their lifetime. June also makes decisions that take her life down an unhappy path that she might not have necessarily chosen under different circumstances.
Perhaps the most tragic person whose life is touched by the McAlister family is African American care worker Ed Mae Johnson. A situation out of her control and a moment of inattention on her part culminate with devastating consequences.
Although the storyline is interesting, the pacing is slow and a bit disjointed. Some of the passages are a little vague which makes it difficult to understand what exactly is going on. Several paragraphs are long and rambling and do not add much to the unfolding story. The storyline covers several decades but readers must decipher the time period from vague mentions of cultural events. The chapters alternate between several characters' points of view but these transitions are clearly marked.
The Accidentals is an intriguing novel that is quite thought-provoking. The characters are interesting but not always easy to like. Minrose Gwin deftly handles difficult subject matter with sensitivity. While the majority of the novel is overshadowed by sadness, the conclusion is surprisingly uplifting and wraps up all of the various story arcs.
August 30, 2019
The Accidentals is a novel that explores the social constraints placed on women in the 1950s and 1960s. We also see some of the effects of racism on justice. June and Grace are two sisters who suffer the loss of their lovely mother Olivia after she seeks a back alley abortion to end a pregnancy she didn't want and that her husband has effectively tricked her into having by sabotaging their birth control method. Olivia had dreams of a creative and fulfilling existence but is trapped in her narrow life as a wife and mother in Opelika, Mississippi. The escape she makes, her death from the botched abortion, has profound and lasting effects on her daughters' lives. Each heartbroken teenage daughter seeks solace in relationships, since their father, Holly, seems incapable of dealing with his guilt and responsibility, and comforting the girls who have lost their mother. Grace and June are further driven apart by June's untimely reveal of Grace's pregnancy, from an unconventional relationship situation, to their father. Grace's story is heartbreaking, as from a few weeks of perfect bliss, she descends to an intense maelstrom of loss and abuse. June, meanwhile, marries a friend, ignoring the stirrings of her own heart. Two thirds of the way through the novel, June poignantly muses about the sorrows of women while facing the exact same problem her mother did. At the edges of the story is Ed Mae, a black woman with a good heart, no education and few rights, who is, unbeknownst to all, falsely convicted in the death of an infant (I'll leave that to the reader to explore.) Equal parts an examination of what pre-Roe v. Wade America was like for women, and an exploration of the constrained lives of women as a whole, The Accidentals makes clear that the "good ole days" when America was "Great" were not at all great for many, many women.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.
I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2020
So many beautiful and heart wrenching stories in this book...giraffes dance...people fight and forgive...the world is unfair but oh so beautiful.... I believe these characters will stay with me for years to come.
Favorite line: “What I know now is how there are always stories behind the stories people tell. They’re stacked like crackers in a box behind the ones they do tell. You could listen for the rest of your days and never get to the end of that box, never know the one true thing.”
Favorite line: “What I know now is how there are always stories behind the stories people tell. They’re stacked like crackers in a box behind the ones they do tell. You could listen for the rest of your days and never get to the end of that box, never know the one true thing.”
September 8, 2020
This is a beautiful, sometimes tragic, tale of a family and the consequences of their choices. Set in late 1950s Mississippi, the book spans time through 2009. I loved every aspect of this book. So compelling and beautifully written. Bravo Minrose Gwin!
January 30, 2021
I love books like this, a story of women growing up through the years. This book offers love, betrayal, tragedy, redemption, and connectedness of us all. Minrose Gwin writes beautiful prose. I enjoyed it cover to cover.
July 10, 2022
This is a story of what can happen when I event changes the lives of the whole family for years to come.
October 29, 2019
I loved the beginning of this book and couldn’t put it down, halfway through I felt like the story had too many storylines and in a jumbled way it all came to end, losing some of the characters connections. Definitely worth the read but disappointing at the end.
June 5, 2022
A wonderful, wonderful, moving story. I was put off in the first couple of chapters - I didn’t like the bird confrontations. But I’m so glad I continued on - it turned out to a one of a kind family saga.
Looking forward to reading more of her books.
Looking forward to reading more of her books.
June 19, 2024
Started out very sad. And while it isn’t exactly happy it does get better and ends somewhat more hopeful. I enjoyed the meandering story overall, multiple perspectives and did not find it slow (like I was expecting).
December 2, 2021
It took awhile for me to get into this book. Drama after drama and tragedy after tragedy, it all meets together in the end.
September 1, 2019
Too depressing to finish... another novel about a dysfunctional Southern family with horrible parents.
August 14, 2019
The Accidentals appealed to me for a number of reasons, the most important being how much I loved Ms. Gwin’s book, Promise. The title refers in it’s official definition to birds that appear where they don’t belong – rather like the blue jays we had visiting here in Montana in the winter of 2018.
We are nowhere near a blue jays normal range but we truly enjoyed their visits. In the more abstract sense accidentals are people that are out of place. I don’t know about you but I have felt like a bit of an accidental at various times in my life.
While there are men that play vital roles in this book it is a story that belongs to the women. Olivia is living with her husband Holly, and two daughters June and Grace, in a very small town in Mississippi. Her life revolves around taking care of them and she is feeling very stifled. Her husband does not appreciate her and feels a real lack since she has not given him a son. He has been waiting for his boy to arrive since he dreamed of him during the war. As with many women post WWII Olivia has gone from working and feeling fulfilled and needed to being sent home and told that the men are back now so the women need to go back to being housewives.
Olivia wants more out of life but finds herself pregnant. She makes a decision that will impact her family in ways she could not have imagined. It sets off a series of events that has one daughter making bad decisions, another making a bad marriage and Olivia’s sister trying to take her place.
I can’t get too far into the plot or it will give it all away. It’s not a simple story and it does require some attention. But that is also what makes it worth reading. It’s complicated but not overwhelming. There are quite a few moving parts and while they all do eventually come together it does feel a little rushed at the end. I almost with that the book were a little longer so that it could have played out a little more fully.
Ms. Gwin has a magical writing style even when telling of difficult things like abortion, war, teenage pregnancy and the unfairness in life. I can’t say I liked this book as much as I loved Promise but it is still a very worthwhile read for the well constructed characters and challenging plot.
We are nowhere near a blue jays normal range but we truly enjoyed their visits. In the more abstract sense accidentals are people that are out of place. I don’t know about you but I have felt like a bit of an accidental at various times in my life.
While there are men that play vital roles in this book it is a story that belongs to the women. Olivia is living with her husband Holly, and two daughters June and Grace, in a very small town in Mississippi. Her life revolves around taking care of them and she is feeling very stifled. Her husband does not appreciate her and feels a real lack since she has not given him a son. He has been waiting for his boy to arrive since he dreamed of him during the war. As with many women post WWII Olivia has gone from working and feeling fulfilled and needed to being sent home and told that the men are back now so the women need to go back to being housewives.
Olivia wants more out of life but finds herself pregnant. She makes a decision that will impact her family in ways she could not have imagined. It sets off a series of events that has one daughter making bad decisions, another making a bad marriage and Olivia’s sister trying to take her place.
I can’t get too far into the plot or it will give it all away. It’s not a simple story and it does require some attention. But that is also what makes it worth reading. It’s complicated but not overwhelming. There are quite a few moving parts and while they all do eventually come together it does feel a little rushed at the end. I almost with that the book were a little longer so that it could have played out a little more fully.
Ms. Gwin has a magical writing style even when telling of difficult things like abortion, war, teenage pregnancy and the unfairness in life. I can’t say I liked this book as much as I loved Promise but it is still a very worthwhile read for the well constructed characters and challenging plot.
April 13, 2020
Well written. One of the things I liked best was that nearing the end, all the storylines were merging and just before she tied it in a neat little package, it ended. The reader was left to ponder how the next hour went and wonder about recurring motifs - like parrots.
September 12, 2019
2.5 stars - This was a weird book with odd characters and strange events in their lives but like the car wreck you can’t turn away from, I kept turning the pages to see what would happen. It takes place over several decades and the chapters alternate different POV’s. It’s filled with multiple social issues including a dysfunctional family, teen pregnancy, abortion, homosexuality, women’s rights, health problems. Not a book I would recommend to others, but it’s one I’ll remember.
October 23, 2019
Absolutely love this book. Love the colorful way the author describes things and how she has the reader feeling like they know the characters. Also reminds us of what life was like for women and minorities in the 50's and 60's and incorporates historical events into the story. I was sad when I finished because I wanted the story to keep going....
June 16, 2021
Another beautifully constructed intricate story by Minrose Gwin. The summary on the back of this book does not do it justice, and makes it seem disjointed and bizarre...so much so that had I not already read and adored "Promise", I'd never have chosen this one. Don't judge a book by its (back) cover, I guess. The theme of familial bonds that run deep brought me to tears. What an astounding book.
January 30, 2022
I loved this book! It started out kind of strange with the mother, Olivia. I was having a hard time with the bizarre thoughts in her mind and was thinking of returning it. SO glad I didn't! I started getting where Olivia's mind was going and it just took off.
Character development of each person just brought you right into their head. An amazing book!
Character development of each person just brought you right into their head. An amazing book!
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