OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Crazy Quilt Family" by Vivian McDermott.]

Crazy Quilt Family by Vivian McDermott is a novel set in rural Montana during World War II. It can be categorized in the Historical Fiction genre. Liz Baxter is heartbroken when her boyfriend Drew gets drafted and then breaks up with her. Just a few weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, Liz discovers she’s pregnant while Drew is overseas, and makes the difficult decision to put the baby up for adoption. In order to keep the pregnancy a secret, she goes to stay with her grandmother Mazelle a hundred miles away. Liz struggles to get over Drew and is grief-stricken over giving up her baby. What will happen when Drew comes home from the war?

It didn’t take long for me to become completely absorbed in this book. The descriptions are so vivid that I felt like I was transported to small-town Montana in the 1940’s. The main character is an appealing young woman who fortunately has a supportive family to turn to during a crisis. Her emotions leap off the pages as she frequently cries herself to sleep, thinking of Drew and the baby she gave up. The relationships between the members of Liz’s family are very heartwarming, and Mazelle’s neighbor Anna, a midwife, is also a great source of comfort.

The book moves along at a consistent pace with a nice chunk of emotional scenes tempered by practical, “get on with it” parts. In the second half, the plot changes from being Liz-centered to more of a family saga. Even though I still enjoyed the rest of the story, Liz becomes more of a supporting character which I didn’t expect. There are also a few instances where the storyline abruptly jumps ahead in time and I had to reorient myself.

Small details add a nice depth to the plot. Drew and Liz each kept a journal of their lives during a stressful point in their lives – while he was in combat and she had given up her baby. These diaries become little plot twists (no spoilers!), in addition to giving readers a peek into the couple’s feelings about their traumatic situations. There are also interesting revelations about their parents and grandparents’ backstories which lend a realistic feel to the supporting characters’ interactions and motivations.

My gripes are relatively few. A few of the plotlines are tied up too neatly. I sometimes felt like I was watching a Hallmark Channel made-for-TV movie where serious issues are a bit whitewashed.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is a well-written page turner that would appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction and stories about small town life. Really anyone would like this story.

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Crazy Quilt Family
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Sounds like a very fun read. I like books that manage to transfer the reader into the story!

Thank you for the excellent review!

Thanks Gali! I really liked the characters and felt like I knew them. I hope the author decides to write a sequel because it would be nice to read another book with the same characters.

This sounds like such a great read! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and will be adding it to my shelves as well.
Sometimes, I like books where it feels like a Hallmark original, a nice and sweet happy ending.

I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. I like Hallmark movies sometimes, too.

This sounds like some decent character development, which is a must for a strong story. And, Hallmark style isn't all bad...

greenstripedgiraffe wrote:This sounds like some decent character development, which is a must for a strong story. And, Hallmark style isn't all bad...

The warm relationships between the characters really made this book shine. It's the type of story that makes you want to have a cup of hot chocolate while reading.

Sounds like a great read. The plot seems very interesting and the characters seem endearing. I like books about small town life as I came from a small town myself . Great job on the review. Congratulations to Vivian McDermott on such an obviously well written book.

I really enjoyed this book and hope the author decides to write another book about these characters.

I love the summary. It wasn't really accepted to be pregnant and unwed during that time. Sounds like a fantastic read. I'll put it on my list! Thanks!

Thanks Kandscreeley for the feedback. I agree it wasn't acceptable to be pregnant and unwed many years ago, not to mention the main character was barely out of high school. I think it was a common thing for parents to ship their pregnant, unwed daughters off to a relative in another town or state (what happened in the beginning of this book). They were afraid of becoming social outcasts, especially if they lived in a small town.

For some reason, I haven't read very many books based in the WWII era, even though I am fascinated with this complex time period. I think I will have to check this book out! Great review!

godreaujea wrote:For some reason, I haven't read very many books based in the WWII era, even though I am fascinated with this complex time period. I think I will have to check this book out! Great review!

Thanks for the nice feedback. The book is one of those warm, fuzzy stories with a distinct setting and time period. It's a great example of "getting lost in a good book."

Sounds like a very good read