Review of The 13th of Summer
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Elavarasi Charles
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- Latest Review: The 13th of Summer by Charlene Pratt
Review of The 13th of Summer
[Following is a volunteer review of "The 13th of Summer" by Charlene Pratt.]
Based on personal experiences, Charlene Pratt tells a work of small-town fiction, The 13th of Summer, set in the early to mid-1900s on the South Dakota prairie.
Twelve-year-old Betty lives on a farm that her parents own in Murdo along with her two sisters and three brothers. Wise beyond her years, she suffers from epilepsy, which she is learning to consider a part of her life. She carries out her chores with a sense of responsibility unthinkable for her age. Their hometown used to be full of greenery, which provided sustenance for their homestead. But now, only a thick layer of dust remains in the wake of a long drought. Combined with the Great Depression, life in Murdo has become a challenging survival. The only good thing that the prairie people succeeded in digging out of this dry farmland is an unshakeable community spirit. Grab a copy to find out how Betty and her husband grew up and lived through one of the century’s worst famines.
In their debut novel, the author gives us a slice-of-life story of Betty and her family holding each other close on a barely livable farm. Even though the story is heart-crushing—filled with human losses and pain—it reflects the human spirit of survival to find a living amid any hardship. The grief is well-balanced with moments of kindness, shared emotions, and unity. The tale that this book brings to the readers is one that needs to be shared and never forgotten. A tale that gives strength to its listeners and helps guide humanity forward.
The author says that they don’t consider themselves a writer, yet they go on to tell such a moving story with tastefully crafted words full of life. Everything feels alive in this book—howling winds, dusty storms, snow—evil and strikingly alive, and the town is full of a personality of its own. For instance, “She could hear the wind trying to tear the house down, so angry, howling at its own inability to destroy and rip the land, knowing its time was brief but vicious in its attempt to tear everything apart in its path before it died” left me with goosebumps. The season is the antagonist here; that which must sustain life is trying to end it, and the author skillfully brings forth its wrath among the prairie people. The daily life activities are told with such immersive details that it shows without a doubt it was lived before it was written. I also loved the closely knit community in this book deeply. It filled the holes that those never-ending losses dug in my heart with hope and love. All told, the country dialect used generously was natural and connected me to their culture intimately.
The only thing the book needs is another round of editing focused on formatting. The paragraphs could be better aligned to ease the readability and had punctuation errors. The perspective changes constantly, which was not much of a bother. But the time jump at the end was abrupt. Other than that, I loved the story. Contemplating these reasons, I reluctantly give 4 out of 5 for this incredible tale of resilience and roots. This book has profanity and fits young and old readers alike. Particularly for elderly people, it can surely bring back some golden memories. This might also appeal to readers who love a good small-town fiction that deals with survival elements such as immense fortitude in the face of struggle and gentle support in the face of loss.
******
The 13th of Summer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Based on personal experiences, Charlene Pratt tells a work of small-town fiction, The 13th of Summer, set in the early to mid-1900s on the South Dakota prairie.
Twelve-year-old Betty lives on a farm that her parents own in Murdo along with her two sisters and three brothers. Wise beyond her years, she suffers from epilepsy, which she is learning to consider a part of her life. She carries out her chores with a sense of responsibility unthinkable for her age. Their hometown used to be full of greenery, which provided sustenance for their homestead. But now, only a thick layer of dust remains in the wake of a long drought. Combined with the Great Depression, life in Murdo has become a challenging survival. The only good thing that the prairie people succeeded in digging out of this dry farmland is an unshakeable community spirit. Grab a copy to find out how Betty and her husband grew up and lived through one of the century’s worst famines.
In their debut novel, the author gives us a slice-of-life story of Betty and her family holding each other close on a barely livable farm. Even though the story is heart-crushing—filled with human losses and pain—it reflects the human spirit of survival to find a living amid any hardship. The grief is well-balanced with moments of kindness, shared emotions, and unity. The tale that this book brings to the readers is one that needs to be shared and never forgotten. A tale that gives strength to its listeners and helps guide humanity forward.
The author says that they don’t consider themselves a writer, yet they go on to tell such a moving story with tastefully crafted words full of life. Everything feels alive in this book—howling winds, dusty storms, snow—evil and strikingly alive, and the town is full of a personality of its own. For instance, “She could hear the wind trying to tear the house down, so angry, howling at its own inability to destroy and rip the land, knowing its time was brief but vicious in its attempt to tear everything apart in its path before it died” left me with goosebumps. The season is the antagonist here; that which must sustain life is trying to end it, and the author skillfully brings forth its wrath among the prairie people. The daily life activities are told with such immersive details that it shows without a doubt it was lived before it was written. I also loved the closely knit community in this book deeply. It filled the holes that those never-ending losses dug in my heart with hope and love. All told, the country dialect used generously was natural and connected me to their culture intimately.
The only thing the book needs is another round of editing focused on formatting. The paragraphs could be better aligned to ease the readability and had punctuation errors. The perspective changes constantly, which was not much of a bother. But the time jump at the end was abrupt. Other than that, I loved the story. Contemplating these reasons, I reluctantly give 4 out of 5 for this incredible tale of resilience and roots. This book has profanity and fits young and old readers alike. Particularly for elderly people, it can surely bring back some golden memories. This might also appeal to readers who love a good small-town fiction that deals with survival elements such as immense fortitude in the face of struggle and gentle support in the face of loss.
******
The 13th of Summer
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The 13th of Summer by Charlene Pratt
