Awards Books

I usually don't read new authors, but I must say this is one lady I will stick with! The storyline was just spellbounding, I read it in one day. You feel as if the characters are real, you can relate to them on so many different levels. Ms. Shapodee leaves you wanting more. There's so much to describe that all I can say is get the book and you won't be disappointed.

Awesome to the end
You will see red when finished

I couldn't put this book down!!! I like how the author makes you wait until the last chapter to find out why her mother hates her so.
I sent a recommendation to Black Expressions to put this book in their catalog!!1
Keep up the good work Kieja....waiting for the next one.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It's a definite page turner and you must read it slowly or you may miss some good parts. I would recommend this book to everyone. It's worth every penny!

Written In Red Ink (WIRI) is a story of Emily Bennett, who struggles to raise
her family in the shadow of her own mother's hatred. Can she figure out her
mother's secret while holding onto her own?

On the outside, Emily has a perfect life. She has a great husband, beautiful
children and her own bookstore. Under the surface sits a woman in turmoil
between a husband who is losing trust in her, children who don't seem to have
respect for her and a mother who hates her for an unknown reason.

I enjoyed the storyline of Emily and her quest to find out the secrets of her
life immensely. The "secret" did not disappoint and had me questioning how
would I feel in that case. The sub-plots however, were too many and
underdeveloped. New developments with other characters were only revealed in
relation to Emily's story. For instance, Emily's daughter Lisa was dealing
with secrets of her own. I was interested in seeing how she dealt with her
situation only for it to be dropped. I did not hear Lisa's voice again until
close to the end of the book. This seemed to be the case for most of the
supporting characters.

I look forward to the sequel to this book and hope that it takes us further
into the lives of the other characters. This book is a 3.5 on the APOOO
scale.

Reviewed by Nicole
APOOO BookClub

This is a beautiful book, with pictures and quotes that are lovely and inspiring. Not to mention that the recipes are really fabulous! Great for entertaining vegan and non-vegan guests and having everyone feeling satisfied and complimenting the chef. The restaurant in Portland, Oregon is well worth the trip, as I'm sure the one in Hawai'i is as well. A must-have for any vegan kitchen.

I'm a vegan living outside NYC. I am a huge fan of your book, the hardcover, it's actually my favorite cookbook. It is beautifully photographed and just a lovely book to own and use in your kitchen!

I've tried about half of these recipes and had good success. Breads, pastas, pizzas, salads, dressings, deserts - it's all here. This is vegan heaven!

When my husband and I started following a plant based diet 19 months ago I never thought we'd make it. We borrowed about 10 vegan cookbooks from a doctor we know and most everything was awful. For a whole month I flat out did not enjoy eating. We then found 4 vegan cookbooks that were o.k. and I could finally enjoy what I had made.

Then, in March my husband stumbled upon Vegan Fusion. The cookie lover in me thinks the chocolate chip cookie recipe is worth the cost of the book in itself! Vegan Fusion is my "go to" cookbook every week. I have made quite a few recipes and all that I can say is, "YUMMMMY!". My 4 year old picky, "I just want a meat sandwich" daughter said of the split pea parsnip soup, "This is the best soup ever!" and had 2 helpings.

There are so many aspects of this book that I like. Of course the recipes are fabulous! Being new to the whole vegan scene, it has a lot to offer a novice vegan i.e. the legume cooking chart, tips on roasting everything from veggies to nuts, startling statistics on "global footprints" of the different diets people follow.

I live in a small town (<2,500 people) and I can find most of the ingredients at our local healthfood store. The only thing I'm sure I can't get locally is green coconuts. I guess I'll just have to go to Kuaui - oh, darn!

I recommend this book to every vegan and health conscious friend I know!

this cookbook, over any other, has the power to show omnivorous foodies that vegan food can be just as delightful as their common fare. highly recommended!

Wow. Ok, you hooked me. What a great intro to the story. I can't wait until I can read the rest.... The only bad thing I can say is that I can't purchase the book!!!

When is this being published?

I liked this. It does remind me of something, but nothing put together like this. It's as if many things I have read are, maybe, going to show up somewhere along the way, but the author has put them together in such a way that this is also, all new. I would definitely read this book as it is just weird enough for me to find it quite interesting. He has put so many possibilities in front of the reader that anything can happen and would probably not sound absurd. At first, I thought it might be like "I am Legend", but it's not. Good for you, Edward, as I am now both tantalized and confused. I hope I get to see the finished product.

What fun! I enjoyed Mr. Aubry's writing style and wonderfully well thought out introduction of characters and story line. I want more!!
Tracy, PA

Static Mayhem by E. Aubry offers the tale of Harrison Cody, a survivor in some post-catastrophe world. Dinosaurs, dragons, performing pine trees, 'watching' sunflowers, tapes from the future, roads leading to nowhere, and all of this started just three months ago. This is a very 'readable' story that drew me in once I got over some early bumps.

In the initial scenes, as Harrison arrives at the exit ramp for Holyoke Mall, there is descriptive work regarding the parking garage, then the mall interior, including rampant flora. At this point I know nothing of Harrison's story, but it's clear that he wasn't inside the mall when those interior details were given. As I read through the excerpt it became clearer that he'd been doing all types of things over the prior three months (probably went into the mall too), but to give an interior scene shot without him actual inside was strange. It wasn't clear at that time whether this was a recollection of Harrison's or simply the author sharing info with the reader.

Other nit-pick: Harrison is wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt, but then pulls a sunglasses case from the breast pocket? Not that t-shirts can't have breast pockets, but this particular detail seemed mismatched.

Beyond these bumps, I simply found myself reading along. The writing is simple and clear. Most of the questions raised in my mind were planted by the author or shared with the character. I liked the demonstration of imagination with this amalgam of story elements.

Overall, I could easily see reading this straight through. The basics of good storytelling were present without the extra prosey fluff.

As one reviewer (a member of my local writers group) has already mentioned, Static Mayhem is the first of two completed books. This one builds the world and asks many questions, while chronicling Harrison's late coming-of-age and blossoming parenthood. The second book answers all those questions, and tells a much larger story than the rite of passage shown in the first. I don't know why I was reluctant to explain that in my summary when I submitted the manuscript. I can't help but wonder how my Publishers Weekly review would have read if the reviewer had known that the end of the book wasn't the end of the tale. Live and learn.

I would be remiss to discount the value of having heavily work-shopped this novel, both in a face-to-face writers group, and on TheNextBigWriter.com, a wonderful and diverse community of novelists, poets, and writers of every ilk. I recommend TNBW to any aspiring writer. The variety and depth of feedback available there are invaluable.

Regardless of what happens next, I'm thrilled to have made it this far. It's a boost, and a sign that Static is on the right track. And, as far as I'm concerned, what happens next is that Static Mayhem and its sequel have a future. If Penguin passes, they're both finished and work-shopped and ready to be published. An outside party has expressed interest in adapting the story as a screenplay, so it may go that route. Meanwhile, I'm working on my next book.

So, thank you all for dropping by to have a look. I'll try to make sure you don't have to wait too long to read the rest!

Edward Aubry

Joanne T. Lewis continues to keep the reader "hooked" with this smoothly written story of intrigue.

This excerpt left me wanting more - can't wait to read the rest of the story!

"It Whispers" is a page-turner from the first line to the last. Of course, I can only speak to the excerpt we have at the moment but I can't wait for the rest! Starting from childhood, I have been an avid reader but lately, I have been very disappointed with the quality of the books on the market. I'm happy to report that reading "It Whispers" has made the wait worthwhile. Ms. Lewis's character development is deft and,not unlike Remy, she is able to paint a picture with one broad stroke and provide a full-fleshed character. Remy's flamboyant father and her menacing sleazy uncle are big as life, as is Remy herself, who is a complex and sympathetic character.

The story's many conflicts and unanswered questions leave the reader hungry to know more. Where is Remy's brother? Is he safe? Will Remy break away from her father's hold on her? Will she represent the girl accused of patricide? I'm eager to find out! Please may I have some more?

Joanne T. Lewis spins memorable characters in her Amazon Short, IT WHISPERS from the first page when we are introduced to Remy and her showboat of a father, Clarence. The conflict between Remy and Clarence provides a strong, believable psychological story foundation that drives the main character's action.

The interweaving of several story lines from Remy's act of defiance in even suggesting to her wealth-mongering father that they take on a pro bono case for the young Bonita accused of murdering her father to Remy's suspicion of her Uncle Todd to the longing of a daughter abandoned by her mother through death to the promise of more colorful characters lumbering through the courthouse doors all guarantee IT WHISPERS will keep the reader intrigued and turning page after page.

Ms. Lewis has a knack for penning descriptions that are expansive, while succinct and often bordering on pure poetry. IT WHISPERS delivers a glimpse into the underbelly of the legal profession. I want to order this book from Amazon and hold it in my hands today! Joanne T. Lewis deserves to be named the breakthrough author in the Mystery, Thriller & Suspense category.

Having read a significant number of the ABNA entries, enough to sample the generally high quality of writing from young authors brave enough to place an excerpt before the reading public for comment, this reader is more than a little impressed with Joanne T. Lewis' IT WHISPERS. She has a mature writing style (surely she has some experience in the field before this excerpt!), the ability capture the reader's attention with the first sentence, and the concomitant assurance that every character introduced will be developed securely and with a great deal of originality.

Remy Woods is an artist and an attorney in her father's law firm, a Firm that caters to the wealthy and influential of the South Florida region, defending clients who probably should be convicted of a fairly wide spreadsheet of crimes. Remy would far prefer pursuing her painting career, but she is a gifted lawyer and her father's recognition of her talent and resultant demands on her time force her to practice law. She has a brother named Carlos who is barely introduced in this short section, but promises to be a fascinating kink in the lives of his family members. And towards the end of this fast-moving and far too short excerpt Remy uncaps the fizzing case that seems as though it will prove both her mettle as a lawyer and as a humanist.

Lewis is able to establish the tense atmosphere of a courtroom as well as she is defines sharply defines the peculiar characteristics of her characters not only by physical description and conversational manner but also by odors of body and clothing. There is little doubt of her physical setting in the dank and humid Broward County, a descriptive technique she extends to the behavior patterns of the characters that populate this engrossing story. She leaves the reader hungry for more and doubtless she will find a solid career in the art of literature. Grady Harp, February 08

I love coming of age stories. I loved this one, even though I did not grow up in the Valley like Sophie and the shortcuts to my preteen heart are the words of other singers. It probably because at 12 or so I felt like an outsider -- I think a lot of people do (except cheerleaders, maybe) -- I know my carefully considered, carefully put-together personality was about as substantial then as the toilet paper which, not being as inventive as Sophie, I used to stuff my bra. I too think this would make a great movie -- it's evocative, rich with details of time and place--and outfits! And yet no matter the specifics, we are in that familiar country of teen-dom, waiting, waiting for something to happen. We are rooting for Sophie to get what she wants, even though right now, it's only what she thinks she wants.... Go Sophie!

Susan's story brings back memories for all of us who grew up on the other side of the hill. The Valley in the 70's had a feeling all it's own. This story does a wonderful job of capturing that distinctive time and place.

Sophie, Susan Hayden's protagonist, immediately takes readers into the naive-yet-brassy world of teenagers. Hayden's characters and dialogue are genuine yet slightly askew, a complelling combination that rings true to the world she describes. Tension and humor dance in these pages, creating an enjoyable balance. I much enjoyed "Cat Stevens Saved My Life" and recommend it.

"Lew Barclay's face looks like spare parts from a flesh junkyard."

Susan Hayden is a master at stringing words together to visually drop you right into her characters' lives. This coming-of-age novel is a real page turner and not to be missed by anyone serious about reading good literature.

What a wonderful book - humor, the wisdom of the young and naive and a heartfelt story of coming of age. The adults scurrying for their pleasures while the children try to understand and create a reality that makes sense to them.
There is a Sophie in all of us, using whatever means to keep her emotions in check, trying to understand how to belong and make sense of her life. Despite the fact that the story is written in the seemingly safety of the San Fernando Valley, the material life is in conflict to the supportive life of these girls. Thank goodness for friendship. Susan captures the tenderness, the betrayal, and the seeking of an outside icon to make her life rich and beautiful.

The author does a good job of showing contrasts in this entry. Not just between the families, but from one scene to the next. To open with the tee ball practice and go to the shooting was a brilliant depiction of how quixotic life can be. Great job.

When I first read the story line, I wasn't sure it could all come together well. But this 15 page sample changed my mind. It is well written, flows and leaves the reader wanting more. Well done. I hope we will see more of this work and more from the author. She deserves to be in the top 100 and more.

This excerpt grabbed our attention immediately. The characters are very realistic.The setting is complex. When do we get to read the rest of this story? We are intrigued.
We feel this author has a reservoir of talent and hope she does very well. Looking forward to reading more of Ms. Shank's works.

An incredible start for this author. The characters are immediately engaging and real and the insight involved in the plot is one only someone who knows the issues can achieve.


I can't wait to read more!

It's easy to write a tense melodrama about the clash of good and evil. It's the mark of real talent to show the inadvertent evil committed by decent men. Many authors would have made Ed O'Fallon their bad guy, a cop out of control. Shank shows him struggling to coach his daughter's team of six year old girls in tee ball. He has been set on to this by his wife, for his sin of taking his sons' sports too seriously. The picture of this tough guy taking on an organization named "The Purple Unicorns" is savory indeed. Then in the afternoon, he accompanies a SWAT team on a no-knock raid.

But something goes badly awry. They are at the wrong address and Ed shoots the wrong guy. In the next chapter, we meet Patrica Santillano, a nurse and now a widow as she learns of her husband's death.

The author has made the reader care equally for both families. This is thoughtful, exciting literature, asking big questions. I have only one question: why hasn't this been published already?

The idea for this story is really interesting, but the writing felt flat--serviceable, certainly, and accurate--but the scene didn't really come alive to me. In the second chapter, the boat trip to Hawaii, the transitions from past to present were smoothly done and fleshed out the course Laura's life is about to take against what she so suddenly lost with the deaths she left behind. Still, her grief mixed with fear for what lay ahead, weren't palpable. Given the fascinating premise for this story, I can only hope the writing style becomes more emotional, even florid, when Laura reaches Hawaii, to match the lush tropical setting, but somehow I doubt it. This arm's length rendition doesn't do the subject justice. It reminds me of how Arthur Golden related that readers of an early manuscript of Memoirs of a Geisha considered it interesting, but dry. He rewrote the story in first person--and you know the rest. Perhaps that same approach would breathe life into a story with the great potential this one has.

This from the few chapters I read it appears that this novel will be a an excellen addition to the many manuscripts written about Hawaii and picks up some unkown information that is illuminating for those of us that love the Islands. I would recommend this to others once completed.

I was immediately engaged! A wedding dress is a great way to start a story! Additionally, I got an instant picture of Laura as someone who is more interested in comfort than in style. The author tells us a lot in just a sentence or two.

I wondered just how Laura thought she was going to control her pregnancies.

"hard for ships to reach there, like trying to sail to stars in a vast, dark sky." beautiful.

Great descriptions of San Francisco and the teeming populace.

"Laura felt a sense of coming to a crossroads, turning in a new direction where way leads into way and what was, got left behind, distorted by shimmering time ... like a mirage." Another beautiful description.

Wonderful details!

I loved how the boy kept asking another question every time his mother said, "Please, no more questions."

And I was glad how Laura realized she had lost her chance to get to know her father better, and would never know about his experiences.

I felt like the line "What would it be like to live a missionary life among the savages of Hawaii?" Should have its own paragraph, because this pushes the story forward and shows just how much everything is changing for Laura. It's really important.

Aww, that was sad where Laura remembers seeing her mother's coffin.

Darn! The excerpt ended! I wanted to read on! Darn it!

Thoroughly enjoyed this expert writing and the developing story. Hope it makes the upcoming 100!

The first chapter and a half of Gaellen Quinn's "The Last Aloha" has captured my interest and imagination. It promises a great story which satisfies the double purpose of entertainment and enlightenment about a past that was veiled in misconceptions by the colonizers of Hawaii.

The very first line of the story, where the heroine stands in front of the mirror, promises the reader an adventure into the unknown which will lead young Laura, and hopefully the reader as well, towards increased self-awareness and maturity. To emphasize this theme Laura comes across "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" in the library on board the steamer which will bring her to the shores of Hawaii. She knows nothing about her destination and very little about her father's missionary family with whom she is going to live. Incorrupt by prejudice as she is, we sense that she will meet her new experiences with an open heart and allow herself to be affected by them.

The reader becomes immediately aware of a discord between Laura's personality and her traditional social environment. About to get married, she is a strong and independent woman who is determined to shun society's expectations that she put marital life and motherhood first. However, her dream of going to medical school is shattered on the very first pages of the book when her father and fiancé die in a street accident and she is left without resources to pursue her goal. Thus she is forced to fulfill her father's last wish and go live with her relatives on the Hawaiian island Oahu, missionaries from Boston with whom she has had no relationship and who we suspect are not going to receive her with a warm and loving heart.

The story is set in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The historical setting and the ambiance of the time are rendered in delicate detail, often revealed through dialogue, or as seen through the observing eyes of Laura. The language is beautiful and descriptions are frequently imbued with a poetic aura. The astute use of symbols and forebodings lends depth to the narrative that I find satisfying.

When it comes to painting word pictures, Gaellen Quinn is Michelangelo. There's a deft touch for the telling detail and a grasp of the big picture as well. As we meet Laura Jenning's she is trying on her wedding dress and making plans to go to medical school--tragedy intervenes and she finds herself on a ship for Hawaii, heading for a place and relatives she doesn't know.

In addition to creating a lively character, the author has melded research and imagination to bring the full sense of her historic era to life. From the street scene in San Francisco to the shipboard library, a complete era is recreated. The scholarship of the author is a gift to the lazy reader, who is educated with no effort. To have your fun and then be able to sound intelligent afterwards is just paradise for a reader.

I first read this book when I was in elementary school. That was many, many years ago. The thought of this book somehow crossed my mind a few days ago. So I procured one and read it through in a couple of hours. The re-read reminded me of how great of a book this is.

This book speaks of hope, trust, perseverance, and especially of undying love. Yes, it's a children's book but adults will benefit greatly from reading it as well. It's one of those books which will forever remain a classic in the hearts and minds of those who have read it.

This is one of my favorite horse stories of all time. It is about a young boy who makes a bond with an increadible horse. A must read for any horse lover!!!!

This is my favorite horse story ever! This book stands above all others for me and I will always remember it. My mom read this to me when I was 9 years old and still to this day, I have never read it's equal. Henry's writing is so beautiful, the story so touching and the characters so real. A plot unfolds about a young stable boy in Morocco and his golden-bay stallion who would one day be known as the Godolphin Arabian, who's bloodline still runs in race horses of today. It's quite possible a lot of this book is based on fact. A simply amazing story in all respects! I must warn sensitive readers however, there are some very intense parts of this book, some sad parts which are sure to make most people cry and a few parts where there is fairly harsh abuse and neglect of animals. Maybe not the best choice to read to very young kids, especially if they are the type to get scared easily. Overall, I would say the book has an excellent balance of tragedy and triumph. The ending is a beautiful one, both happy and a little sad but satisfying and well worth reading the story.

King of the Wind is a great book by Marguerite Henry. It is about a mute boy named Agba and his horse Sham. Agba goes with Sham on many adventures together. Agba goes with Sham from the royal stables in Morocco to Gog Magog. Sham also sires many winning foals and when he is gone, Agba goes back to Morocco.
I enjoyed this book very much. I liked it because it is about horses. I also liked it because it was full of adventure. It was sad and exciting and there were many parts where Sham and Agba were seperated. Agba was very brave for a young, mute boy and Sham kept him company with his firy spirit that only Agba could control.
My favorite part was when the cook tried to drive Sham. He wanted to show that he did not need Agba to drive Sham. He left Agba at the royal kitchens then set out. Sham bidded his time till the cart was groaning with goods and a young pig. Then "BAM!" He went wild and ran like the wind, sending the goods, the pig, and the cook into the air. The cook runs after first the pig, then Sham, then the pig, until he is so confused that he catched nither. In the end the apple woman cathes Sham and the cook is so fustrated that he sells Sham to a cruel man. I like this part best because it is so funny and shows Shams firy nature.

The Christmas I was nine, I got a boxed set of Marguerite Henry novels and while I loved all of them and read them day and night during the break from school, I think this one goes down as my favorite. A few years after I first read this novel, my family moved and I discovered it was also, by a nice coincidence, one of the favorite books of a girl I met in our new neighborhood, who went on to be my best friend to this very day. That connection, too, makes this a special read. However you might come to possess this wonderful book, I think you'll agree, it's one to be cherished.

King of the Wind is the story of a mute boy named Agba, who lives works in the royal stables in Morocco during the eighteenth century, where the Sultan has perhaps the finest collection of horses on earth: maybe the greatest ever in history. Among the animals Agba cares for is a colt who has long been Agba's favorite. This horse was born with a mark called the wheat ear, that is regarded among Moroccans as so unlucky, custom mandates that any foal possessing it be destroyed at once. However, this colt also is marked by a sign of extraordinary good fortune, which reprieves the death sentence and is there to battle the wheat ear in the animal's life: the good in constant yin/yang conflict with the bad.

As a gesture of goodwill, the all-powerful Sultan elects to send a shipment of his finest horses to his friend and ally, King George of England. As the horses chosen for the journey are prepared, Agba is given the chance to accompany these prized animals by ship to the far-off Christian kingdom. One of the colts hand-picked by his Excellency is none other than the omen-marked horse Agba has grown to love. The journey northward upon the ocean is undertaken, but an unscrupulous sea captain has shortchanged the Sultan's agents and not provided food for the equine passengers. Therefore, the cargo of fine desert steeds who are unloaded in England appear little better than half-starved nags, and never find their way to the royal court.

Cast out among beggars and in a strange, cold nation where he knows no one and does not understand the language, Agba refuses to leave his beloved horse's side and the happenings that come to pass in the life of the desert stable boy and the fine, though seemingly run-down stallion, form the basis of a delightful novel that is simultaneously a tale of a boy and his extraordinary horse, and a history lesson in eighteenth-century equine lore. In Miss Henry's story, fact and fiction meet as Agba's horse becomes the celebrated Godolphin Arabian, from whom roughly one-third of all modern thoroughbreds can trace descent.

I guess you can tell I really like this book, and I think almost anyone would as well!

Janice Kleinschmidt's amusing and engaging writing style works its magic on Earth: The Musical. Can't wait to see the finale, which I look forward to reading.

I was drawn into the story immediately. Kleinschmidt combines unlikely words with wit and intelligence, weaving a tale that I want to keep reading. Bravo!

Janice Kleinschmidt's character development and dead on descriptions of time and place hit a genuine note in this too short sample of Earth The Musical. The first few pages leave you grinning in anticipation of the rest of the novel. An imaginative and fantastic romp through Palm Springs and galaxies beyond! -- Julie Rogers , Palm Springs

Fun to read, very entertaining. Janice Kleinschmidt's humorous wit makes you laugh out loud, and the author's vivid descriptions create a sense of being right there - like a "fly on the wall". The excerpt left me in suspense! When can we read what happened to Rollie Moon and his encounter with the deep purple eyed woman-slash-alien?

As a lover of science fiction I was easily drawn in to connect with Earth: The Musical. Ms Kleinschmidt has created a suspensful beginning to an extraterrestrial encounter which draws the reader to want to participate (at least intellectually) in this fun, intraspacial romp. I'd rate it highly just for the development of Rolli's character and background as much as for the popular and literary illustions drawn in chapter one. This is a definite "Read me."

Couldn't stop thinking of my time in Italy and the family stories I've heard. Seems authentic...nice pace...what happens next????

Excellent job. can't wait to read the entire book. Such an interesting setting and premise for the book. Makes me want to visit Italy

Meryl McQueen's use of language is exquisite.

In ONLY SALT REMAINS, she paints a vivid picture of a tiny Italian village. So lyrical is her prose that one can smell the air there, see the houses, hear the sounds. Her understanding of this place seems to be thorough and complete.

McQueen has created an intricate and clever plot which would thwart a lesser author. This story is gripping. The author has a full understanding of the relationship between brothers -- both the affection and the rivalry -- and of the interconnected feelings of extended families.

I look forward to reading a full-length work by Ms. McQueen.

As the imaginary makes one feel the warm sun together with the two main characters that stand out as real people, one feels compelled to find out how the plot evolves. Even though the narration is somewhat rough around the edges, the well-developed characters immediately grab one's interest. The setting provides a detailed backdrop that appears natural in all aspects. The speedy introduction of a "mystery" and the brewing "love conflict" make this introduction more reminiscent of a detective thriller, but they sit well in a short excerpt for catching one's attention. There is great potential both in this story and in the author.

In this excerpt Meryl McQueen confidently sets the scene for her novel with graphic, well-researched descriptions of the location (Solunno, Sicily), main characters (orphaned brothers Francesco and Antonio Vigneri) and the harsh realities of daily life working the saltpans of Sicily in the mid 1930's. Much of the storyline is kept hidden but the reader is left with the bare outlines of a double tragedy that orphaned the Vigneri brothers eight years previously as well as hints of underlying tension between the two brothers themselves and also between them and their paternal uncle Mauro and aunt Pia. Circumstances have made life a struggle for the brothers and conservative small village ostracism has left them social outcasts in their community. Many questions surface in the mind of the reader, the answers to which can only come from the complete novel.
The style of writing and the intermittent use of local dialect seem to constantly remind the reader of the novel's Sicilian setting.