What We're Reading: Debbie

The Quickening by Michelle Hoover

Atmospheric story of two Iowa farmwives, neighbors, but with little in common but loneliness. Set in the early twentieth century, through drought and the Great Depression, the story is presented in chapters alternately told by the two women, Enidina and Mary. This technique of using each character to tell their version of events helps to explain the background behind some of their conflicts. The story is very quiet and lonely. I could almost hear the crickets buzzing in the dry, hot fields as I read the book. This might sound as if the book would be boring, but it really wasn't. It was an excellent novel, full of hardknocks, tragedy, secrets, and well developed characters. At just over 200 pages, it was a quick read. This was a first novel for the author. I'll be watching for more from her.