SOCIAL MEDIA

Review: The House on Oyster Creek

Why I picked it: This book was given to me for review earlier this spring.  I'm not sure what grabbed my attention but I'm so happy I accepted this book.  It's one of the better books I have read this year.

Synopsis: Sensitive but practical, Charlotte Tradescome has come to accept the reticence of her older, work-obsessed husband Henry. Still, she hopes to create a life for their three-year-old daughter. So when Henry inherits a home on Cape Cod, she, Henry, and little Fiona move from their Manhattan apartment to this seaside community.

Charlotte sells off part of Tradescome Point, inadvertently fueling the conflict between newcomers and locals. Many townspeople easily dismiss Charlotte as a "washashore." A rare exception is Darryl Stead, an oyster farmer with modest dreams and an open heart, with whom Charlotte feels the connection she's been missing. Ultimately he transforms the way she sees herself, the town, and the people she loves...

Type: Fiction

Quick Take: Recommend - I really, really enjoyed reading this book.  The writing is incredible and the story/characters will challenge you as a reader. 

Oyster farming is the in the background of this story for most of the book.  As we follow Charlotte on her journey (and her families) you feel the pull she has to farming.  I had no knowledge of oyster farming and what's involved but it sounds like hard work and patience is needed. 

The book has two main plots that twist and keep you interested, the politics of the island (laws to land and farming) and her marriage (is she wandering or is her husband controlling).  Both will keep you guessing but leave you satisfied when the story ends.

Source: Review copy