All Manner of Things

All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner is an amazing story--a story of Annie and her family, a family that has captivated this reader's heart and will not easily be forgotten. Having read several of this author's books I was eager to dig into this one and was not disappointed. At first, I wondered if she was writing my story...an older teen in 1967, small-town Michigan, Anne(ie)...then the author described Annie as one with a startinglingly beautiful soul and my bubble burst! Seriously though, this was a fascinating book in which the author tackles the gritty subjects of the Viet Nam war, shell shock/PTSD, abandonment, grief, and a touch on the issue of racism and does it well. The richness of the characters and their emotions is genuine and deeply moving, resonating within the reader. Bernie, Annie's boss, and third cousin, plays the part of a grumpy old man to a T and yet is compassionate and wise; Frank, Annie's daddy, quiet, sullen charming, complicated--a man who loves his family and finally realizes what he had missed over the years since he left; Jocelyn, her dearest friend--I loved how their houses were so close they could chat through the screens and each of the other characters (even the 'stinker' character, Aunt Rose, bring so much into the story. Readers will get caught up in the lives of these characters and their stories. The author has captured well the setting and era of All Manner of Things as she has expertly written the distinctive dialogue and descriptive scenes of the book. I enjoyed her use of letters scattered throughout the book to share the hearts of the writers with those they love. The author has so many pithy sayings...'Don't duck and cover. Keep your eyes open'; 'You can't live your life afraid of what might happen'; because we are made for eternity, even in death we still are...were some that I really liked. Poignant and intense, this character-driven story takes the reader into the heart and soul of a family and the small town community they were enveloped in, as they deal with the horrors, the searing pain, the sorrows, and the unknowns of a war that seemed to make no sense to many. Don't miss the chance to fall in love with the Jacobson family, a family who just wanted to be normal, a family with a history of running away and yet a family tied together by strong, unbreakable bonds. I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.