Lynnie
short stories, fiction, fantasy
This book of short stories contains sequential snapshots of a small town, Blackwell, MA, from the time the original settlers first arrived through recent times. The people in the town each have their own stories and histories. The title refers to a large garden in the town where everything that grows is red in color. The stories stand alone but also have the town and ancestral family members in common.
Amy's Review
I'm not a lover of short story compilations but I admire the crafting of this collection around the same small town from settling to present time, often returning to the founding family members and including, sometimes, specific characters from previous stories. Some of the stories were gripping and others less so. It took me a long time to get through them all as I put the book aside when other books arrived from the library or needed to be completed for book club. But, I will say that it was enjoyable overall. I especially liked the change of the meadow's name over time.
Lynnie's Review
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It's really a collection of short stories, but they weave together through the common thread of the town & the families- a few characters overlap as they age through the stories. The writing is really solid & the characters, as varied as you would expect over a century in a town are fascinating. There were a few stories I didn't care for, but for the most part I found them wonderful & charming. A great journey through the history of a town & it's unique inhabitants.
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