A review by shanviolinlove
Some Luck by Jane Smiley
5.0
Not until after I finished Lila by Marilynne Robinson and received a recommendation to read Some Luck had I ever heard of Jane Smiley, and I realize it was my loss! This epic novel spans four decades and intimately follows the Langdon family, Walter and Rosanna who raise their children on a farm. Each chapter signifies one year and captures either a single event - one of significance or one that represents their lives - or several. The children grow up and reach from coast to coast, fighting in wars, falling in love, etc.
The overarching theme, of course, is luck; my favorite scene is when Rosanna stands before a full Thanksgiving table, marveling how so many of them had survived the Depression, had survived the war, had survived the personal injuries and challenges of life. Though the Langdons - at least Rosanna - are churchgoers, the narrator also attributes their fortune to luck.
The overarching theme, of course, is luck; my favorite scene is when Rosanna stands before a full Thanksgiving table, marveling how so many of them had survived the Depression, had survived the war, had survived the personal injuries and challenges of life. Though the Langdons - at least Rosanna - are churchgoers, the narrator also attributes their fortune to luck.