US FOOLS

Emily Lawrence captures the snarky, often exasperated, voice of Bernadette Fareown as she looks back at her Midwest childhood. In the shadow of her free-spirited older sister, Joanne, Bernadette observes her parents' volatile marriage and the effects of generations of mental illness. The novel's setting is the 1980s farm crisis, which will permanently shape Bernadette's perception of the American Dream. Often left to their own devices, the sisters educate themselves and find love where they can. Lawrence smoothly portrays Bernadette's empathy and frustration, and balances them with humor and introspection. In an effort to reconnect with Joanne as an adult, Bernadette journeys to remote Alaska. Thinking of her past and her present, Bernadette reflects on the complexities of growing up. C.R. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2024]