September 09th, 2020

I forgot to review this on amazon, although I did tweet a recommendation for it. I will paste this on amazon. I know this one came out a couple of years ago, but it's still out there and I want to include it in my reviews. Like Blackbird Blues, this story shifts in time, back and forth. It grounds itself primarily in the era surrounding WWI, in the forest of Sweden, where a strong, insightful and independent woman--Anna comes of age. Sixty years later she is visited by her niece who has personal relationship issues. We go back and forth in time and slowly unravel Anna's sad and frustrating story, which reflects intense obstacles Swedish women--like all women during this time--had to overcome in order to survive and thrive. Anna not only survives, she learns how to grow into her true self. She is a woman way beyond her time. This is based upon a true story, and therefore is not only entertaining but also educational. The writing is wonderful. The character inspiring. It has a quiet, slow feel to it, and the switch in time can be confusing. But I don't mind lingering when the writing is this good. I don't mind refreshing my memory when a shift in time occurs if I like the character, enjoy my effort. This book is very well done. The writer   knows what she's doing and has a poetic heart. Bravo!