Thank you Libro.fm / Recorded Books, for the ALC and Kensington Books, #partner, for an advanced copy of The Flower Sisters in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Kensington Books /Recorded Books
Published: April 23, 2024
Summary:
Drawing on the little-known true story of a tragic event that took place in the author’s Missouri hometown at an Ozarks dance hall in 1928, this beautifully written novel, told through twin storylines fifty years apart, explores the unpredictable effect of split-second decisions, small-town tragedy, and the ways family secrets reverberate through generations.
Sure to resonate with fans of Daniel Woodrell, Donna Everhart, Ellen Marie Wiseman, and Jeannette Walls.
At birth, Violet and Rose Flowers were identical, save for a tiny bluish-purple mark gracing Violet’s slender neck. By nineteen, their temperaments distinguish them, as different as the flowers their mother named them for—Violet, wild and outgoing, and Rose, solitary and reserved. Still, they are each other’s world. Then, on a sweltering, terrible August night in 1928, an explosion rocks Lamb’s Dance Hall in Possum Flats, Missouri, engulfing it in flames, leaving one twin among the dozens dead, and her sister’s life forever changed.
Fifty years later, Daisy Flowers is dumped on her grandmother Rose’s doorstep for the summer. A bright, inquisitive fifteen-year-old, Daisy bargains her way into an internship at the local newspaper—where she learns of the mysterious long-ago tragedy and its connection to her family. Rose, now the local funeral home director, grows increasingly alarmed as her impulsive granddaughter delves into Possum Flats’ history, determined to uncover the horrors and heroes of the fiery blast.
For a small town, Possum Flats holds a multitude of big secrets, some guarded by the living, some kept by the dead. And through Rose, Daisy, Dash—a preacher who found his calling that fateful night—and others, those ghosts gradually come into the light, forcing a reckoning at last.
My thoughts:
I am so glad my high school friend was sharing this book – it’s not the usual way I get my books, but being that he is a relative of the author and was helping to promote it, I decided to take a look and am so glad as it’s totally my kind of book. And I absolutely loved it! This debut is one you don’t want to miss!
I love historical fiction that is inspired by true events and that is exactly what we have here…a tragic event that happened in the small town where the author lived. Of course, this was many years ago but she had never heard about as it’s not something that is talked about and once she did, she knew it would make for a great story and boy was she right! A historical mystery that captivated my attention from the get-go, with some unexpected twists and a completely satisfying ending.
The characters are what make this story come alive, from the twin sisters in the past to Daisy in the more recent timeline, as well as all the secondary characters. They are all so richly drawn, and I felt that I really got to know them as well as the town itself. Having always lived in small towns, I could appreciate that feeling of small-town life that the author draws on here.
As Daisy starts to dig into the secrets surrounding the fire back in 1928, she learns some important lessons, not only about the people of the town but also about herself and her family. All the while, clues about the fire itself are starting to unravel and this is what kept me glued to the pages.
This was such a well-crafted story that kept me guessing as to the direction it would take. For a debut, Michelle Collins Anderson definitely knocked it out of the park and I look forward to seeing what she writes next!
Audio thoughts:
This audio was narrated by a full cast, which I loved! It really enhanced the listening experience and the narrators, Jim Frangione, Andrea Gallo, L.J. Ganser, Laura Knight Keating, Christina Moore and Graham Winton, all did such an amazing job to bring their respective parts to life!
Purchasing from the link below supports independent bookstores and my blog!
