Review of From the Flood

Sam Ibeh · Post by **Sam Ibeh** » 13 Jun 2022, 03:39

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "From the Flood" by Suzanne Jones.]

3 out of 4 stars

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In From the Flood by Suzanne Jones, flood advisories were common in the Susquehanna River Valley of Northeastern Pennsylvania. In June 1972, the River Valley witnessed another flood disaster that caused all the families that lived down there to evacuate. Many families lost their homes and the lives they used to know. Young Suzanne Jones remembered being woken up at night by her parents when the evacuation order was announced. Suzanne, her elder sister, Pamela, and her younger brother, Paul, were all taken to stay at Aunt Sadie's house on the 'hill' where the river water could not reach. After the flood had gone down and cleaning had begun, their father took them to see their house at Birch Street. She remembered the stench the flood had brought with it. But with the flood came many other surprises to their small family.

It was easy to decipher that this book was a story about survival and life. With exciting storytelling and simple language, Suzanne Jones brought to life the experiences of a trying time in her family straight through the eyes of a child. The family experiences were filled with subtle lessons about life. One such lesson was the uncertainty of life, as the story highlighted ordinary people living their ordinary lives but affected by an uncontrolled force of nature. The author's ability to capture the day-to-day events of the period of the story was commendable.

It seemed as though the main story was unraveled at the very beginning of the book. This was commendable, as the author circumvented a lot of hullabaloos and went straight to the story. However, everything else after that and before the ending appeared to be accounts of children playing. As heartwarming as it was to read about the simple and carefree joys of childhood and the sometimes hilarious inner thoughts of children's minds, the account in the book got boring real quick. Again, the endless account of children's playtime begged the question of its purpose in the entire plot and why the author focused so much on that aspect. The justification for this wasn't clear. A deeper look into the minds of the adults, for instance, Bob Jones, Suzanne's father, might have helped to give a better insight into what it felt like to have lived through such an experience.

On a lighter note, the book exposed the struggles of being the second born in a family, and I suspect that many second-borns would easily connect with Suzanne's frustrations in the book. More than this, however, the story of the Jones family showcased the strength of 'family' and the power that comes from having a community during trying times. It also showed the resilience of children and their ability to make much out of little.

From the Flood was a good read. It was well written and edited. I'd recommend this book to readers who love biographies with historical undertones. Unfortunately, due to the issues I raised, I'd rate it three out of four stars.

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From the Flood
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Post by **Stephanie Cameron** » 14 Jun 2022, 15:10

It's sounds like a soulful type of book. A family that struggles together stays together kinda scenario. Living through an evacuation like that with a child's interpretation catchs my attention and it seems this would be a good read. You made valid points on what you did an did not like. Nice job on the review.

Kavita Shah · Post by **Kavita Shah** » 14 Jun 2022, 22:04

The cover really does not resonate the theme. But it sounds difficult to live near flood prone areas. Thank you for your good review!

Post by **Tonia Freeman** » 15 Jun 2022, 08:49

Kavita Shah wrote: ↑14 Jun 2022, 22:04 The cover really does not resonate the theme. But it sounds difficult to live near flood prone areas. Thank you for your good review!

I agree sounds like the cover could have been a better match.

Peace10 · Post by **Peace10** » 15 Jun 2022, 11:03

This is the reason it’s not advisable to live beside a river known to overflow its bank. Thanks for a good review!

WriteOn · Post by **WriteOn** » 21 Jun 2022, 04:40

I enjoyed reading your honest and comprehensive review Sam Ibeh, thank you.

The family experiences were filled with subtle lessons about life. One such lesson was the uncertainty of life, as the story highlighted ordinary people living their ordinary lives but affected by an uncontrolled force of nature.

That aspect of the book really interested me. Humans strive to predict and defend themselves against natural disasters but they don't have ultimate control and lives are still affected.
I appreciate your dislike regarding overuse of descriptions about children playing. It seems like an unnecessary distraction from the important issues and justified subtracting one star in an otherwise well written book.