Bookanistas: STRINGS ATTACHED by Judy Blundell

Plot without spoilers…Seventeen-year-old Kit Corrigan leaves her poor home in Providence, RI, to try to make a name for herself onstage in New York. But Manhattan is not as welcoming as Kit anticipated. Soon, she meets up with Rhode Island boyfriend’s estranged father, Nate Benedict. Nate, a lawyer whose gang connections give him influence in many realms, provides Kit with a place to stay and a job as a showgirl. But what Nate wants from Kit in return turns her life beyond the spotlight to chaos.

Of literary interest…Like Blundell’s What I Saw and How I Lied (a great book!), this novel is rich with historical details about America’s post-WW II/Korean War era. Blundell moves gracefully from the Providence “before” of the story to the New York City “present,” gradually building a mystery, a love story, and a complex web of “strings” (love, loyalty, secrets, promises, debts, shared dreams) that bind people to each other.

Finally, just gotta say… With lines like “…I knew from dance how stillness could explode into movement” (page 301), you feel how Kit understands the world through her art. This is a historical read with a very modern feeling of passion. Kit’s connection to the stage—her desire to perform—and the sacrifices (and compromises) she is willing to make to pursue her dream keep you turning the pages.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER BOOKANISTAS TAP DANCING ABOUT THIS WEEK...?

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