Four stars ****
Ellen Feldman has written a number of historical fiction novels, imagining events in the lives of the Scottsboro Boys, Anne Frank, Margaret Sanger and others. She has also written novels that bring places and times vividly to life, as for example, in Paris Never Leaves You and, The Living and the Lost.
In The Trouble with You, Feldman again excels in creating a world and characters that are detailed, vivid and real. Just a couple of examples of the accurately described time include trips to the Automat, the fear of polio, and the age of radio serials (soaps). Even more importantly HUAC figures prominently in the story. As many will know that stands for the House Unamerican Activities Committee.
Readers follow Fanny, her friends, family, colleagues and others, including Aunt Rose (an appealing character). When the story opens, Fanny’s future looks bright. Unfortunately it does not remain so when she is widowed at a young age with a child to raise. As a result Fanny needs to work. This is where the radio serial setting enters the story.
Over the course of the novel, Fanny needs to think about what she wants and what she stands for. Does that sound familiar? How will things work out for her?
Fans of more literary historical fiction and those who have read other novels by Ms. Feldman will, I think, want to read The Trouble with You.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 