A review by bohemianbibliophile
Prairie Fever by Michael Parker
4.0
A tale about the sacrifices and settlements we make with ourselves and others as we attempt to navigate romantic and familial relationships. It was a tale that explores the power and strength of kinship on the harsh American frontier that appealed to me as I picked up Prairie Fever by Michael Parker.
The book primarily follows the story of the two Stewart sisters over the decades. The dreamer Elise and the pragmatic Lorena. The sisters are inseparable until an impulsive decision changes the course of their lives. That and a schoolteacher, Gus McQueen, who drives a wedge between the two. It is all about the consequences of our choices.
It is not a traditional historical fiction in terms of writing style. The structure and dialogues are more contemporary. That said, the writing is lyrical. It brings the settings vividly to life. You are transported to the cold harsh winters of Lone Wolf, Oklahoma to the dry arid West Texas. The book is also interspersed with wry humor.
Time was an element that fell like snow from the sky. The sky was stitched together with safety pins, but sometimes the pins worked loose, and out came the elements and one of them was time.
The characters are what make the book. I liked the interplay of relationships. At its heart, the book may seem about sibling rivalry, but it is a lot more. A father who is an idea man. A mother coming to terms with the loss of her children. But apart from Lorena’s character (that I felt was shortchanged and whose story was not explored much), none of the other main characters really captured my interest.
What primarily did not work for me was the narration. The initial few pages are quite confusing. It took me a while to get into the book. Also, the constant switch between the first person to the third person narrative and then the epistolary was too jarring. The ending too quite weak.
I have mixed feelings about the book. But I would love to check out more books by the author simply for the lyrical prose. If you enjoy offbeat historical novels with lots of wordplays, do pick up this book.
The rating is more of a 3.5.
I received this book from Algonquin Books for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The book primarily follows the story of the two Stewart sisters over the decades. The dreamer Elise and the pragmatic Lorena. The sisters are inseparable until an impulsive decision changes the course of their lives. That and a schoolteacher, Gus McQueen, who drives a wedge between the two. It is all about the consequences of our choices.
It is not a traditional historical fiction in terms of writing style. The structure and dialogues are more contemporary. That said, the writing is lyrical. It brings the settings vividly to life. You are transported to the cold harsh winters of Lone Wolf, Oklahoma to the dry arid West Texas. The book is also interspersed with wry humor.
Time was an element that fell like snow from the sky. The sky was stitched together with safety pins, but sometimes the pins worked loose, and out came the elements and one of them was time.
The characters are what make the book. I liked the interplay of relationships. At its heart, the book may seem about sibling rivalry, but it is a lot more. A father who is an idea man. A mother coming to terms with the loss of her children. But apart from Lorena’s character (that I felt was shortchanged and whose story was not explored much), none of the other main characters really captured my interest.
What primarily did not work for me was the narration. The initial few pages are quite confusing. It took me a while to get into the book. Also, the constant switch between the first person to the third person narrative and then the epistolary was too jarring. The ending too quite weak.
I have mixed feelings about the book. But I would love to check out more books by the author simply for the lyrical prose. If you enjoy offbeat historical novels with lots of wordplays, do pick up this book.
The rating is more of a 3.5.
I received this book from Algonquin Books for an honest review. All opinions are my own.