Wes Avery, a tail
gunner during WWII, is a good man. He loves his wife and daughter and
works hard at his Texaco Station not far from McCoy Air Force base
near Orlando, Florida. His wife, Sarah, has not been the same since
her hysterectomy. Now with an approaching hurricane, she is
withdrawing from reality and popping pills.
His daughter
Charlotte is in her senior year of high school. She's caught up in
being selected as a member of the homecoming court and falling in
love with Emilio, a Cuban refugee boy. Avery likes the boy well
enough, but Sarah doesn't want Charlotte associating with him. This creates tension in the family and raises the specter of the family
secret.
As if the
approaching hurricane weren't enough, Avery notices the buildup of
aircraft, including U2 stealth aircraft, at McCoy. This is the start
of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Everyone is worried, but it affects
Sarah especially.
The description of
Florida at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis is excellent. For
anyone alive at the time, it will bring back memories; for younger
people, it provides a glimpse of what life was like at the time.
Wes Avery, the main
character, is well done. He's struggling with a family situation
he doesn't understand, trying to manage his gas station, and keep his
fear for his family in check. The other characters, Sarah and
Charlotte, felt sketchy. Sarah is a fairly typical wife and mother
caught in the trap of too many pills and a harrowing time. Charlotte
makes only fleeting appearances except for the beginning and end.
I enjoyed the book
for the glimpse of history and recommend it for that reason. Some of
the plot didn't work for me. The family secret seemed to be dragged
in at the end, and the conclusion wasn't satisfying.
I reviewed this book
for BantamDell.
No comments:
Post a Comment