Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Saturday, January 3, 2015

In a Vertigo of Silence by Miriam Polli...

How I Heard About It:  I received an email from NetGalley about receiving this novel as an ARC.  I downloaded it to my Kindle and started it in early fall.  I got distracted by other novels and didn't come back to this story until my Christmas vacation.  

What It Is About:  This is the story of a Polish family that spans from the 1920's to the 1960's.  Marishka is the grandmother to Emily and has raised her as her own because Emily's own mother Anna is suffering from Alcoholism and mental illness.  Paulina is Anna's sister along with Eva.  The three girls grew up with their mother and two different men that were father figures.  The story goes back and forth between the early years in this family and their lives as adults.  As Emily is in college, she begins to learn about her families' secrets which include her grandmother, her mother, and her aunt Paulina.  Emily must decide what she is going to do with the information she learns and what she truly wants in her own life so that the "secret" cycle doesn't continue with her.     

What I Thought Of It:  This novel didn't grab me at first, but I also think I was in a bit of a reading slump when I started the book so not much appealed to me at this time.  During this holiday break, I came back to the novel and ended up enjoying it.  The more I read the more I became invested with these characters.  The book was very well written and did an outstanding job describing family dynamics and how secrets over time can destroy individuals.  I'm glad I was able to receive this ARC and will be recommending it to my reader friends.

Who Should Read It:  This is obviously an adult novel so I would recommend it to adult readers.  If you are a fiction lover, then I think this would be the book for you.  It is a definite character study so would appeal to readers who enjoy stories that really dig deep into the personalities, motives, and intentions of characters.  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars

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