Follow Me by Joanna Scott [browse inside]Published by Little, Brown and Company , a division of Hachette Book Group
Rating: 4 stars
Publisher's description of the book:
On a summer day in 1946 Sally Werner, the precocious young daughter of hardscrabble Pennsylvania farmers, secretly accepts her cousin's invitation to ride his new motorcycle. Like so much of what follows in Sally's life, it's an impulsive decision with dramatic and far-reaching consequences. Soon she abandons her home to begin a daring journey of self-creation, the truth of which she entrusts only with her granddaughter and namesake, six decades later. But when young Sally's father--a man she has never known--enters her life and offers another story altogether, she must uncover the truth of her grandmother's secret history.
My review: (although I did participate in the Early Birds Blog Tour, I wasn't able to post a review in time for the tour)
What I found most interesting about this book is how Sally manages to reinvent herself, changing her last name and lifestyle to adapt to each new setting. There is something subtly suspenseful about her escapes and read on in anticipation . Even though I became frustrated with Sally at some points because I really wanted her to confront her past, I was still rooting for her until the very end.
What made it sometimes difficult to get into the story was the unique writing style. I'm not used to paragraphs of such literal writing, particularly with respect to thoughts in the characters' minds and even sounds.
Alhough I began to predict the major plot development before it occured, there was another surprise that came later. I'm not sure if I would have chosen for the storyline to veer in that direction, however I admire how it was all pieced together, nonetheless.
Though this book is not for everyone, I enjoyed the interesting narrative and unique characters, despite the unconventional writing style.
BIG THANKS to Miriam and Hachette for my review copy.
4 comments:
This book started a little slow for me, but once I got into it, I was hooked. Glad you liked it too!
I hated it! The only parts I really liked were the stories about Sally (Sr.). The rest of it tanked me.. I skipped over half the book out of sheer boredom.
I have looked at this book before. I am still interested in it. Thanks for the review.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had a hard time with this one, mostly the unnecessary, excessive description, but at the same time, I thought the writing was very good.
--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
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