Monday, June 19, 2017

Midnight At The Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson



Midnight At The Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Release Date - June 13, 2017
Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 272 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis
Divided by time. Ignited by a spark.

Kansas, 2065. Adri has secured a slot as a Colonist—one of the lucky few handpicked to live on Mars. But weeks before launch, she discovers the journal of a girl who lived in her house over a hundred years ago, and is immediately drawn into the mystery surrounding her fate. While Adri knows she must focus on the mission ahead, she becomes captivated by a life that’s been lost in time…and how it might be inextricably tied to her own.

Oklahoma, 1934. Amidst the fear and uncertainty of the Dust Bowl, Catherine fantasizes about her family’s farmhand, and longs for the immortality promised by a professor at a traveling show called the Electric. But as her family’s situation becomes more dire—and the suffocating dust threatens her sister’s life—Catherine must find the courage to sacrifice everything she loves in order to save the one person she loves most.

England, 1919. In the recovery following the First World War, Lenore struggles with her grief for her brother, a fallen British soldier, and plans to sail to America in pursuit of a childhood friend. But even if she makes it that far, will her friend be the person she remembers, and the one who can bring her back to herself?

While their stories spans thousands of miles and multiple generations, Lenore, Catherine, and Adri’s fates are entwined.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked up Midnight At The Electric. The synopsis really doesn't tell you much about the story with it giving you the minimalist of details. All I really knew was that it consisted of three stories set in different time periods that interconnect. I am so glad this is all I knew as this is a story that needs to be experienced and felt.

This is Jodi Lynn Anderson at her best. It's romantic, poignant, thought provoking and exquisitely written. It has that breathtaking prose that readers have come to expect from this author. It's filled with lush descriptions, wonderful character development, and unraveled at just the right pace. It's the type of story you want to savor, but end up devouring because you're transported into the story and need to keep reading.

There are really three main characters to this story. Adri, the closed off woman who keeps people at arms length. Catherine, the dreamer who wants the best for her family. Lenore, the grieving woman who wants adventure. They all have distinct voices that make them come to life. Each of them have self contained journeys that could be fascinating stories all on their own, but create something even more magical when woven together. The most impressive thing is how each character is allowed her own agency and story. It is handled so well, and I really enjoyed getting to know each of them.

Along with three main characters comes three unique settings for each of them. The futuristic world Adri lives in. The post First World War London that Lenore is navigating. The storm ridden Oklahoma of the 1930s that Catherine calls home. Each of these is vividly painted with the lush descriptions that are found within these pages. The settings truly do come to life and they are the perfect backdrop for this story.

The three stories end up interconnecting rather beautifully. While some of the connections are immediately clear, others unravel slowly and end up being a pleasant surprise. This story really is one of connections. It focuses on the connections we share, and how those don't necessarily stop mattering when we die.

This is, in my opinion, the most romantic novel Jodi Lynn Anderson has written. It's done with her classic flair of bittersweetness, but the relationships are some of my absolute favourites. From slowly building tension, to literal sparks when people touch, there is something special about how the love stories are written and how captivating they are. It mirrors the theme of the novel, and makes each of the stories engrossing. It's not just romantic love that gets to shine. The love between family members and friends also gets it's chance at the spotlight and is equally well crafted. The bonds of sisterhood that thrum this story are some of my favourite elements, especially as it looks at sisterhood as not just being those who are blood related.

A lovely story about the ties that bond us together, what we leave behind after we die, and way our stories interconnect. This happens to now be my second favourite Jodi Lynn Anderson novel, after Tiger Lily, and I am sure it'll be one I read again and again. I urge anyone who loves having their heart punched and healed in equal measure pick this well crafted story.

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