Publisher: William Morrow / Harper Audio
Published: March 1, 2022
Source: Print – Hardcover via Kathleen Carter Communications / Audio: ALC via Netgalley
Summary:
North Carolina, 1946. One woman. A discovery that could rewrite history.
“A beautifully rendered portrait of a young woman finding her courage and her voice.”—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Maddie Sykes is a burgeoning seamstress who’s just arrived in Bright Leaf, North Carolina—the tobacco capital of the South—where her aunt has a thriving sewing business. After years of war rations and shortages, Bright Leaf is a prosperous wonderland in full technicolor bloom, and Maddie is dazzled by the bustle of the crisply uniformed female factory workers, the palatial homes, and, most of all, her aunt’s glossiest clientele: the wives of the powerful tobacco executives.
But she soon learns that Bright Leaf isn’t quite the carefree paradise that it seems. A trail of misfortune follows many of the women, including substantial health problems, and although Maddie is quick to believe that this is a coincidence, she inadvertently uncovers evidence that suggests otherwise.
Maddie wants to report what she knows, but in a town where everyone depends on Big Tobacco to survive, she doesn’t know who she can trust—and fears that exposing the truth may destroy the lives of the proud, strong women with whom she has forged strong bonds.
Shedding light on the hidden history of women’s activism during the post-war period, at its heart, The Tobacco Wives is a deeply human, emotionally satisfying, and dramatic novel about the power of female connection and the importance of seeking truth.
“This is a story of courage, of women willing to take a stand in the face of corporate greed, and most definitely a tale for our times.” —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author
My thoughts:
Historical fiction that enlightens and entertains…yes please! I cannot say that a nice change of pace this was from the usual heavy historical fiction books I usually read. And what about that cover? Doesn’t it just grab your attention? I love it!
I loved the characters and the sense of place was incredible. I felt like I was right there at a dress fitting or walking through the tobacco fields and could feel the dust on me. It’s a coming of age story with a young protagonist that you just immediately come to love. But what happens when this young gal discovers a dark truth that will possibly turn everything upside down?
Being able to get a peek into what life was like for women in the 1940s in the South was so interesting. There was definitely a big distinction between the “haves” and the “have nots” and the author shows that very clearly. I also appreciated the look into how big companies manipulate information for the sake of advertising. I have to say, though there were many times throughout this book I had to pause and remind myself of when this was set because there were ads telling expectant women to smoke because it was doctor approved. What!?! But again, not only was this back when smoking was more widely acceptable, but this was set in Tobacco Country where just about everyone smoked. Setting matters and the author really does really well.
I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it. As I already mentioned, it’s not as heavy as the typical historical fiction I usually read and I really loved that.
Audio thoughts:
I listened to this one and the narration was stellar! The two narrators, Shannon McManus and Janet Metzger, definitely brought their A-games for this narration. Their pacing and intonation was spot on and I felt they just made the book come to life. I was completely captivated by this story and had a hard time putting it down.
