Review of East of Troost

[Roy Nick]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "East of Troost" by Ellen Barker.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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East of Troost by Ellen Barker narrates the story of a grieving white, middle-aged widow. She relocates from California after her husband inevitably dies and her home catches fire and burns to ashes. She then thinks of a place to move to and resolves to a memorable yet regrettable conclusion— her childhood home, located in east of Troost, Kansas City. She buys the house she grew up in, or at least what remains of a shackle. Upon arrival, she realizes what was once a white-dominated neighborhood is now Black-dominated.

Astonished by the house’s situation, she realizes there is no turning back. Even with numerous memories of the childhood home and neighborhood, the narrator feels unfamiliar with the people and region. With her is a big German shepherd named Boris. The dog gives her the company and security she needs. When a break-in occurs in her home, she begins questioning her decision to have relocated to the east of Troost. However, with Dave, John, Josie, Carol, and Liz as welcoming neighbors, life begins to feel a bit normal— but will it?

I enjoyed the historical information about the houses and their former inhabitants. The throwback stories would date back to the sixties, and I'd have a peek at what life was like back then. Also, the dialogues were family-like, and I always looked forward to those involving Josie. Despite her age, she was protective of our narrator.

Then we have Boris. I mean, what's not to love? His physical size was intimidating for anyone with not-so-good motives. Boris was a solid rock for the narrator. When grief strikes, the affected people react in different ways. The protagonist amazed me with how she balanced work, social life, and dealing with the loss of her husband.

Crime thriller and fast-paced enthusiasts may not fancy this work. It flows at its own pace and is set from the narrator's point of view, besides direct conversations. I had two dislikes. One, I could not grasp initials like MLS. Secondly, some overly expressed details made the book lag. Hence, some segments come across as dull. Thus, I deduct a single star and rate it 4 out of 5.

I noted just a few grammatical flaws. East of Troost by Ellen Barker is professionally edited. If you are a reader who fancies a book about family ties, childhood memories, grief, starting over, and delicate racism, I recommend this book.

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East of Troost
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