Rachel Reviews: The Farm by Randy O'Brien
A tale of family and the impact that war can have, in its many manifestations: death of loved ones, loss, grief or in the hardship it brings
There was much to like about this book. The action is set mainly on the farm where Mary Lou and Brother live, the older members of the Wright family with Mary Lou's daughters, Millie, Annie and Snaps, whose real name is Ginger. The novel focuses mainly on Snaps but we learn about the lives of the other characters throughout the narrative as well.
O'Brien presents an environment where the women are required to work really hard to ensure the farm endures without men and as a result, that they all survive. They think of ways to make money in a time where everything is scarce and people are trying their hardest to make the best of a difficult life. There is loss, which is be expected at war time, although still a shock but there is a sense that life goes on, shown in the lives of all the characters, where there is a natural stoicism, maybe born of the farming life that they lead.
But not all of the daughters are content to live a life as a farmworker or indeed to stay in the rural community and become a farmer's wife. Snaps has ambitions to become a performer and has talent as well as looks.
Unfortunately, Snaps has an enormous setback which arrives unexpectedly and the latter part of the book deals with her coming to terms with this change in her circumstances and her thwarted ambition.
The book leads well through the action and it is well-written in terms of clarity: all of the characters are distinct and O'Brien shows their personalities through dialogue and their interaction with others as well as writing about their aspirations. I especially liked the way the Wrights were keen to adapt to keep going.
If I am honest, for me, the book needed vigour. I liked the characters and could recognise the difficulty of the hardships in their individual lives but, for me, my investment was not as deep as it has been for characters in other books and for me as a reader, that matters.
That being said, I wished them well and wanted to find out where the action of the book would lead me and to what conclusion. The ending is satisfying in that regard and I was not hesitant about reading it. The narrative flowed and the story was engaging throughout.
Worth a read.
Rachel Rating: 3/5 stars
This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery:
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Comments (7)
I love reading your reviews, Rachel. They are thorough enough to give a pretty idea of the book but also leaving the space to want to actually read it.
I take it that it's worth the read if you have the time & it's what's available. But not the top of the reading list. Very well done & helpful review, Rachel.
Well written review, Rachel! I'm curious as to what you mean by the book lacked vigor, however. I understand your critique that you did not feel as invested in the character's lives as with other stories. Creating compelling characters is a challenge, and perhaps a greater challenge in long-form writing than in a story.
Sounds engaging. Sometimes you don't actually want that depth of investment.
Lol, I just hope the setback that Snaps had wasn't her getting pregnant. I'll pass on this book hehehehe.
After reading about the backstory from the author's note, I am intrigued because I love history and there was a German POW camp about twenty miles from where I live now (and where my mother lived in WWII days.)
You are the Queen of Reviewers, Rachel!!