CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL

Cassandra Campbell's warm, elegantly articulated narration brings to life this story of three generations of women in a small Midwestern college town. Campbell's gentle pace and tone reveal the underlying desperation of Evelyn, Laura, and Grace, each of whom strives miserably to fulfill the role expected of her. Unconventional Evelyn thrives in a teaching career during WWII, but when she is shoehorned into a homemaker role after the war, Campbell captures her resentment. Evelyn's daughter, Laura, is caught in the role of peacemaker, submitting to an alcoholic husband who is especially hard on their son. Campbell portrays the developing identity of Laura's daughter, Grace, as adulthood compels her to consider whether her matriarchal legacy is inescapable, given what she knows about her beloved but inadequate mother and grandmother. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2018]