Official Review: Lizzy by Jim Wetton
Posted: 23 Mar 2020, 11:50
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lizzy" by Jim Wetton.]
Have you ever felt the need to honor the last wish of a dear relation? In most cases, it's a wish from either a father, a mother, an uncle or an aunt. But for Lizzy, it was from her great-grandmother.
Lizzy grew up in a time when women played second fiddle to men. After Lizzy lost her father, she discovered an old diary with her great-grandmother's name on it. The diary contained instructions for the great-granddaughters to carry out. They were to continue the fight for women's suffrage. Lizzy took it upon herself to carry on the revolutionary movement that started many decades before she was born. Will she succeed in fulfilling her great-grandmother's wish?
Lizzy by Jim Wetton is the third book in The Monroe Family series. It is a standalone novel. However, some background information from the previous books will give the reader a better understanding of this installment. The author did well to create a flow from the last book into this one. Though the previous book, Jed: A Boy's Passion Turns Into a Father's Peace, focused on Lizzy's father, her character was developed and prepared for the significant role she played in this third book. At first, I didn't understand why the author suggested I read the previous installments. When I did, I couldn't help but agree with him because the prior knowledge helped me understand Lizzy's antecedents.
This book took a chronological format. The events began in 1881 and ended in 1920. Every chapter gave a narration of events that happened in a particular year. This format made it easy for me to follow the story and other events in history. It's safe to say that this format has become Jim's signature writing style. Other authors could adopt this style for historical fiction books. Nonetheless, it's my opinion.
What I liked most about this book was the way Jim blended his fictional characters with historical characters. In addition to that, there was perfect sync between fictional events and historical events. It's one thing to get your historical facts right. However, incorporating these facts seamlessly into a fictional story is a different ball game. I was impressed with the author's articulation and creativity. I smiled every time I came across a fusion of fiction and historical events.
I also liked what Jim did at the beginning and end of the book. He started by giving a brief introduction to the main characters. It helped me identify each character's role in the plot. At the end of the book, he gave a summary of event timelines. It helped me put things in perspective when I finished reading. It also reminded me of some events I may have mixed up. I applaud the author for his thoughtfulness.
There was nothing I disliked about this book. Though there were errors in grammar and typography, they weren't enough for me to send it to the gallows. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction that follows a chronological order.
******
Lizzy
View: on Bookshelves
Have you ever felt the need to honor the last wish of a dear relation? In most cases, it's a wish from either a father, a mother, an uncle or an aunt. But for Lizzy, it was from her great-grandmother.
Lizzy grew up in a time when women played second fiddle to men. After Lizzy lost her father, she discovered an old diary with her great-grandmother's name on it. The diary contained instructions for the great-granddaughters to carry out. They were to continue the fight for women's suffrage. Lizzy took it upon herself to carry on the revolutionary movement that started many decades before she was born. Will she succeed in fulfilling her great-grandmother's wish?
Lizzy by Jim Wetton is the third book in The Monroe Family series. It is a standalone novel. However, some background information from the previous books will give the reader a better understanding of this installment. The author did well to create a flow from the last book into this one. Though the previous book, Jed: A Boy's Passion Turns Into a Father's Peace, focused on Lizzy's father, her character was developed and prepared for the significant role she played in this third book. At first, I didn't understand why the author suggested I read the previous installments. When I did, I couldn't help but agree with him because the prior knowledge helped me understand Lizzy's antecedents.
This book took a chronological format. The events began in 1881 and ended in 1920. Every chapter gave a narration of events that happened in a particular year. This format made it easy for me to follow the story and other events in history. It's safe to say that this format has become Jim's signature writing style. Other authors could adopt this style for historical fiction books. Nonetheless, it's my opinion.
What I liked most about this book was the way Jim blended his fictional characters with historical characters. In addition to that, there was perfect sync between fictional events and historical events. It's one thing to get your historical facts right. However, incorporating these facts seamlessly into a fictional story is a different ball game. I was impressed with the author's articulation and creativity. I smiled every time I came across a fusion of fiction and historical events.
I also liked what Jim did at the beginning and end of the book. He started by giving a brief introduction to the main characters. It helped me identify each character's role in the plot. At the end of the book, he gave a summary of event timelines. It helped me put things in perspective when I finished reading. It also reminded me of some events I may have mixed up. I applaud the author for his thoughtfulness.
There was nothing I disliked about this book. Though there were errors in grammar and typography, they weren't enough for me to send it to the gallows. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction that follows a chronological order.
******
Lizzy
View: on Bookshelves