FICTION

The Clover House

by Henriette Lazaridis Power
Ballantine. Apr. 2013. 416p. ISBN 9780345530684. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9780345538949. F
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Cali Brown learns from her cousin in Greece that their beloved uncle has died and left her the bulk of his estate. This news reaches Cali at a time when, despite a recent engagement, her romantic and family relationships feel less than stable. Unsure of her future marriage and lacking a relationship with her emotionally distant mother, she heads to Greece to sort through the pieces of her family's life and her own. As she combs through her uncle's belongings, she finds remnants of life in Greece during World War II that lead her to question discrepancies in family history and her mother's perpetual sadness.
VERDICT This debut novel offers an interesting premise and vibrant setting, but poor editing allows it to be weighed down by unnecessary plot points and shifting narrators. The storyline loses rhythm when historical chapters told from her mother's point of view interrupt Cali's narration. Though family and emotional history are explained, the novel is too uneven for readers to relate to the characters.
Reviewed by Madeline Solien, Deerfield P.L., IL , Feb 15, 2013
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