Why didn't I read this sooner?! Upon closing its' pages, I immediately called my mom to leave her a message that said, "Mom, have you finished Stiltsville? I just put it down and am completely affected by it."
Frances goes down to Miami in 1969 at age 26 to attend a friend's wedding. While there, she befriends Marse, a native Floridian, who takes her out to Stiltsville, a group of houses a mile from the beach off the coast of Florida. There, she meets and falls in love with Dennis. Eight months later, she's moved from Atlanta to south Florida, where she marries Dennis, has a child, weathers personal and physical storms, and debilitating illness.
There is nothing extraordinary about the plot of this book; Susanna Daniel has simply written the story of a woman's life in south Florida. In this simplicity, though, is an entirely relateable version of life. Most people don't lead superhero lives; we love our families, we encounter temptations, we put ourselves back together after storms hit. We make small observations about others, we do our best to make mistakes out of the public eye. Frances feels like someone I knew intimately, and the last sentence of the book has stuck with me. Daniel writes, "Thank you for my life," and that's exactly what I want to say sometimes to those who have been major players in my own simple life. This book just felt like a clear, effortless way to end 2010.
I should mention that Grandma in North Carolina read Stiltsville over the summer, and told me it was wonderful. Thank you for the excellent recommendation, and I promise not to take so long on the next book you suggest!
I look forward to reading this book that a little elf lent me last night! Also, thanks for a lovely dinner and family time - can't wait to do it again! (Lord knows, when that will be!)
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So glad you finally read this book. It really was good -- satisfying in a way -- even with the trials and tribulations. I loved the ending too. I passed it along to Nancy so I'll have to get her take on it.
ReplyDeleteIt was a two tissue book for me and took me back to my childhood in Miami (yes, Abbi, there was a Stiltsville). I loved the writing style and I agree with Abbi that I could relate to her simple, yet satisfying life. It is the kind of book that you immediately want to lend to a friend (I mailed my copy to Sari the next day). Abbi - your review was write on (no pun intended)!
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing this review! Susanna Daniel will be discussing "Stiltsville" at BookMania this year and I was trying to figure out which authors to read. This one is definitely on my list now.
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