A Thread So Fine

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Synopsis:  Set in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Ithaca, New York, between August 1946 and November 1965, A THREAD SO FINE follows the lives of Eliza and Shannon Malone. So-called “Irish twins,” the sisters share a close bond—despite their often-clashing personalities. Studious and responsible, Eliza, the younger at 17, plans to pursue intellectual fulfillment, beginning with a Catholic college near her home. At 18, the spirited Shannon is less certain about her future—but wants it to include art, nature, and children. Suddenly, tragedy strikes. Shannon falls ill with tuberculosis. Eliza falls prey to a violent assault. Separated by increasing distance, physical and emotional, the sisters go on to live their own lives. One vows to hold fast to the invisible thread that connects them—and to protect her sister’s secret.  A sweeping work of fiction, A THREAD SO FINE is layered with realities, truths, and insights about life for women coming of age in the post-war boom and the conservative Midwest. 

One (or more) Sentence Summary: Last week was extremely hot and humid, so I stayed inside and got caught up on some reading.  A Thread So Fine is a really good book and I haven't read on like it in a long time. I think the Kennedy Debutante was the last book I read with a similar timeline.  

Historical, in nature, I love that it took place in the 40's through the mid 60's.  I love that time period, which was an added bonus.  A Thread So Fine is a tale of two sisters who were very close growing up and Shannon falls ill with TBin the mid 40's.  During this time Eliza is violently attack at home, keeps it to herself and ends up pregnant.  Just as Shannon is released from the hospital, Eliza has the baby and runs from home and everything she knows in order to try to erase the past and move forward.  She ends up at Cornell in Ithaca, New York, far from Minnesota, and makes a name  for herself. While Shannon is trying to figure out what happened to Eliza baby, she meets the Ross family and is most certain their baby is Eliza's.  After almost 20 years, the two sisters are brought together when Shannon is in a car accident and all the past comes tumbling out. 

A great story about family, history, tragedy, and forgiveness.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Yes, I would.

SUSAN WELCH grew up in Minnesota and Wisconsin with either her nose in a book or her toes in the water. She earned a Masters in International Management and built an international career in the brewing industry, and now works for a company focused on regional agriculture, new technologies, and craft brewing. When not traveling for work or pleasure, she spends her time either on the family houseboat in Seattle or in a cabin in the woods of Lummi Island, preferably with her husband, Bruce.  

http://www.susanwelchauthor.com

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