Review of The 13th of Summer

[Runan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The 13th of Summer" by Charlene Pratt.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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In the year 1936, depression and dust storms ravaged the South Dakota prairie. The crops failed due to drought, and the people were facing a difficult time. The 13th of Summer by Charlene Pratt takes us back in time to the 1930s, when life was simple yet complicated.
 
12-year-old Betty Peterson, along with her siblings Christian, Willow, Albert, Daniel, and Gretta, work together, sharing household chores and helping their dad, Alfred, at the farm. Her mother, Etta, is pregnant and, therefore, is away from the heavy household chores for the time being. The failure of crops and the increasing finances are burdening the Peterson family and many such families in South Dakota. Meanwhile, the bank seized the land of Foley's family. Lloyd is struggling to adjust to life with his dad after his parents’ separation. Will the collective condition of these people ever improve? Will the weather turn in their favor at the end? One needs to read the book to know the answers.
 
The author narrates the story from a third-person perspective and gives readers a peek into the complicated emotional intricacies of the characters. The author’s writing enables the readers to imagine effortlessly. I loved the characterization of Alfred. He is the head of the family and has maintained his composure and calmness even in the most fatal incidents. He keeps a brave face, knowing very well that his family relies on him, and if he lost his composure, his family would crumble. The people of South Dakota look after each other with compassion and warmth. I loved this aspect the most in this book.
 
The author divided the book into three parts. Despite the abundance of emotional and nostalgic moments in this book, I found some flaws in the book. The story progressed well until the climax, but the author hurried the climax, and the ending wasn’t satisfactory. Throughout the story, up until the pre-climax, readers will feel that Betty is the main character, but from the pre-climax onwards, it doesn’t seem so, and her presence is limited. The time skip in the third part was abrupt. If the author had developed the story further before the time-skip, it would have been nice. Unfortunately, I have to deduct a star for the above-mentioned points.
 
The editing of this book is commendable, as I encountered only a few errors. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I have deducted a star for the previously mentioned points. Readers who would like to go back in time and those who enjoy good historical fiction stories would definitely like this book.

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The 13th of Summer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Gerry Steen]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The 13th of Summer" by Charlene Pratt.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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In the year 1936, depression and dust storms ravaged the South Dakota prairie. The crops failed due to drought, and the people were facing a difficult time. The 13th of Summer by Charlene Pratt takes us back in time to the 1930s, when life was simple yet complicated.
 
12-year-old Betty Peterson, along with her siblings Christian, Willow, Albert, Daniel, and Gretta, work together, sharing household chores and helping their dad, Alfred, at the farm. Her mother, Etta, is pregnant and, therefore, is away from the heavy household chores for the time being. The failure of crops and the increasing finances are burdening the Peterson family and many such families in South Dakota. Meanwhile, the bank seized the land of Foley's family. Lloyd is struggling to adjust to life with his dad after his parents’ separation. Will the collective condition of these people ever improve? Will the weather turn in their favor at the end? One needs to read the book to know the answers.
 
The author narrates the story from a third-person perspective and gives readers a peek into the complicated emotional intricacies of the characters. The author’s writing enables the readers to imagine effortlessly. I loved the characterization of Alfred. He is the head of the family and has maintained his composure and calmness even in the most fatal incidents. He keeps a brave face, knowing very well that his family relies on him, and if he lost his composure, his family would crumble. The people of South Dakota look after each other with compassion and warmth. I loved this aspect the most in this book.
 
The author divided the book into three parts. Despite the abundance of emotional and nostalgic moments in this book, I found some flaws in the book. The story progressed well until the climax, but the author hurried the climax, and the ending wasn’t satisfactory. Throughout the story, up until the pre-climax, readers will feel that Betty is the main character, but from the pre-climax onwards, it doesn’t seem so, and her presence is limited. The time skip in the third part was abrupt. If the author had developed the story further before the time-skip, it would have been nice. Unfortunately, I have to deduct a star for the above-mentioned points.
 
The editing of this book is commendable, as I encountered only a few errors. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I have deducted a star for the previously mentioned points. Readers who would like to go back in time and those who enjoy good historical fiction stories would definitely like this book.

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The 13th of Summer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Hi, Runan, I want to learn about the history of South Dakota and the Great Depression. This story of the resilience of the South Dakota citizens during the Great Depression is inspiring to me because it reaffirms core values we must keep to stay strong and proactive. Your honest rating and the reasons for it will help the author improve to become a 5-star writer. Thank you. This book is going on my bookshelves.

[Kutloano Makhuvhela]

I think the organisation of the book is something attractive about. The characterisation enables the characters to shine and to have thoughts of their own.

[Runan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The 13th of Summer" by Charlene Pratt.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Share This Review

---

In the year 1936, depression and dust storms ravaged the South Dakota prairie. The crops failed due to drought, and the people were facing a difficult time. The 13th of Summer by Charlene Pratt takes us back in time to the 1930s, when life was simple yet complicated.
 
12-year-old Betty Peterson, along with her siblings Christian, Willow, Albert, Daniel, and Gretta, work together, sharing household chores and helping their dad, Alfred, at the farm. Her mother, Etta, is pregnant and, therefore, is away from the heavy household chores for the time being. The failure of crops and the increasing finances are burdening the Peterson family and many such families in South Dakota. Meanwhile, the bank seized the land of Foley's family. Lloyd is struggling to adjust to life with his dad after his parents’ separation. Will the collective condition of these people ever improve? Will the weather turn in their favor at the end? One needs to read the book to know the answers.
 
The author narrates the story from a third-person perspective and gives readers a peek into the complicated emotional intricacies of the characters. The author’s writing enables the readers to imagine effortlessly. I loved the characterization of Alfred. He is the head of the family and has maintained his composure and calmness even in the most fatal incidents. He keeps a brave face, knowing very well that his family relies on him, and if he lost his composure, his family would crumble. The people of South Dakota look after each other with compassion and warmth. I loved this aspect the most in this book.
 
The author divided the book into three parts. Despite the abundance of emotional and nostalgic moments in this book, I found some flaws in the book. The story progressed well until the climax, but the author hurried the climax, and the ending wasn’t satisfactory. Throughout the story, up until the pre-climax, readers will feel that Betty is the main character, but from the pre-climax onwards, it doesn’t seem so, and her presence is limited. The time skip in the third part was abrupt. If the author had developed the story further before the time-skip, it would have been nice. Unfortunately, I have to deduct a star for the above-mentioned points.
 
The editing of this book is commendable, as I encountered only a few errors. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I have deducted a star for the previously mentioned points. Readers who would like to go back in time and those who enjoy good historical fiction stories would definitely like this book.

******
The 13th of Summer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Hi, Runan, I want to learn about the history of South Dakota and the Great Depression. This story of the resilience of the South Dakota citizens during the Great Depression is inspiring to me because it reaffirms core values we must keep to stay strong and proactive. Your honest rating and the reasons for it will help the author improve to become a 5-star writer. Thank you. This book is going on my bookshelves.

There is so much to learn from the people of the past. It is an inspiring book, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Thank you for the appreciation.

[Runan]

I think the organisation of the book is something attractive about. The characterisation enables the characters to shine and to have thoughts of their own.

I agree with you. This book has good characterization. Thanks for reading my review and leaving a comment.

[Cristiano Bellucci]

Thank you very much, Runan, for this wonderful review. I appreciate your critics about the speed of the narrative left the reader unsatisfied. I understand that the emotional development compensate it and makes the book worth reading.

[Tomy Chandrafrost]

While reading this book, I learn about the dust Bowl, great depression and some detail in the middle American. It's a great book to read, really intriguing when you finally understand the context of the situation there.