Thursday, March 24, 2011

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...?

Elana Johnson reveals the cover of The Eleventh Plague
LiLa Roecker wonders What Happened to Goodbye
Christine Fonseca wants to be Like Mandarin
Jamie Harrington falls for Falling Under
Shelli Johannes-Wells visits Dark and Hollow Places
Beth Revis discovers Lost and Found
Carolina Valdez Miller is wild about Wither
Megan Miranda swoons for Anna and the French Kiss
Bethany Wiggins commends Ketura and Lord Death
Shana Silver gushes over What Happened to Goodbye
Jen Hayley peers into Clarity
Carrie Harris is mesmerized by Memento Nora
Matt Blackstone visits The Ninth Ward

3 comments:

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

I don't read enough historicals, and this one feels like it would have a modern resonance. Love the artistic sound to this one, too. Great review! Sounds like a beautiful book.

Ghenet Myrthil said...

I'm really excited to read this book. I loved WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED.

Stasia said...

This is a very interesting read, Carol, and one that I think really evokes raw, teen emotion in a period setting--not at all sugarcoated.

And, I loved WHAT I SAW... too, Ghenet!