Barbara Sapergia

If we still lived without television, movies, the internet, and motorized vehicles (a la [author:Jane Austen's] era) this book might be good. It moves slowly, spending time on daily details that are not relevant to the plot but, I suppose, interesting if you are in love with the main character and want to live along side her. In terms of writing style, maybe it is a sort of modern [author:Jane Austen], though not in content and not in subtlety.

The book is about Annie, who leaves her husband in Toronto to go to Saskatchewan to attend her mother's funeral. She's convinced to stay around and take care of her newly inherited house. Annie stays longer than she intends, because she starts to learn about her ancestors and hometown, and eventually about herself and her marriage.

The story has potential, but seems drawn out and is not as effective as I would have expected. I have no doubt the author poured herself into writing the novel and cherished her characters, but she failed to grab me and pull me into the story. Actually, at one point the style of the book reminded me of a classic [book:Nancy Drew] book, but without the intrigue of mystery-solving -- and more adult than Nancy Drew ever was! (I'm probably the only one to make that connection, so don't place too much stock into it.)

I can't really recommend this book to anyone, unless they're looking for a self-discovery, small-town Canadiana novel with a few sex scenes.… (meer)