Before We Were Yours
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**The No.1 New York Times, million-copy bestseller** Memphis, Tennessee, 1939 Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family's Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge, until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children's Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned home - but they quickly realize the dark truth... Aiken, South Carolina, present day Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family's long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption. Based on one of America's most notorious real-life scandals, Before We Were Yours is a riveting, wrenching and ultimately uplifting global bestseller. Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing. ********************* 'A tale of enduring power' Paula McLain 'Such a powerful, emotional story' 5* reader review 'It is impossible not to get swept up in this near-perfect novel' Huffington Post 'What a great book, you just can't put it down' 5* reader review
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Interesting discussion at book club about what people felt about this book. I think it basically came down to us liking Rill's story, and not being interested in Avery's story. Avery's story seemed like a typical sort of “chick-lit” type of book, and then perhaps some more research was done, and a bit of Rill's story was inserted into the book. Rill/May should have then taken over completely, instead of only part way. Think of it - would you rather have had some hints of Avery's (fairly boring) love life, or more about Rill and her 3 husbands?
3.5 As one of my Battle kids said, it starts sad and doesn't go up from there and she wasn't kidding! I liked but didn't love this. I think it will be interesting for kids who don't know much about the 1930s and predatory child adoption agencies (maybe that's most kids?). Readable and interesting, but there were a few lame/overused plot points.
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