Title: The Ruins of CaliforniaAuthor: Martha Sherrill
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Inez Ruin is growing up in the 1970s as a child of divorce and makes observations about her loud mother and eccentric father. Both her grandmothers play important roles in her life as well as her half-brother, a hippie-surfer, Whitman. This is a story about growing up and realizing that everyone in your family is human too.
My Thoughts
This book was a Christmas gift from a good friend and I purposely saved it for summer because of the beachy cover! This is totally not something that I would have picked up for myself, and I'm glad she helped me step out of my usual realm.
It is interesting to see relationships told through the eyes of a child as she grows up in 1970s California. The reader begins to understand the complexity of Inez's father, Paul Ruin, and their interesting relationship. Inez is often the adult in her relationship with her parents and receives very little guidance about her future from them.
So many of the characters are larger than life so the story can come across as hard to believe at times. There is also little plot beyond following the relationships Inez has with her family, so I was not feeling as engrossed in this novel. I prefer a little mystery and twists, and while this novel is missing those, it does not lack drama. I don't know if it is because Inez is a teen throughout much of the novel, but everything and everyone is super dramatic.
If you like family drama, coming of age stories, difficult parent-child relationships, or 1970s California this book is for you!
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from Martha Sherrill, visit her website linked above.
This book was a Christmas gift from a good friend and I purposely saved it for summer because of the beachy cover! This is totally not something that I would have picked up for myself, and I'm glad she helped me step out of my usual realm.
It is interesting to see relationships told through the eyes of a child as she grows up in 1970s California. The reader begins to understand the complexity of Inez's father, Paul Ruin, and their interesting relationship. Inez is often the adult in her relationship with her parents and receives very little guidance about her future from them.
So many of the characters are larger than life so the story can come across as hard to believe at times. There is also little plot beyond following the relationships Inez has with her family, so I was not feeling as engrossed in this novel. I prefer a little mystery and twists, and while this novel is missing those, it does not lack drama. I don't know if it is because Inez is a teen throughout much of the novel, but everything and everyone is super dramatic.
If you like family drama, coming of age stories, difficult parent-child relationships, or 1970s California this book is for you!
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from Martha Sherrill, visit her website linked above.
Hi,
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