Sixteen is a pivotal age for four generations of Snows. Jim fights to remain in his hometown of Jefferson, Iowa, and to keep his girlfriend when his unfulfilled father tries to uproot the family during the Great Depression. His younger sister, Cathy, confronts fear and shame in 1942 when she is sent to a home for unwed mothers after her boyfriend is killed during basic training. Jill, Jim’s daughter, witnesses the Kent State shootings after her father sends her away from the town’s temptations of drugs and sex to live with her adopted older sister, Mary Suzanne. Jill’s own daughter, Mona, becomes reacquainted with her extended family and learns their secrets, including the real mother of Mary Suzanne when she returns to Jefferson for Great Aunt Cathy’s funeral. Moranville’s talent for historical fiction shows in Jim and Cathy’s stories, which are the most complex, credible and moving. Teens will enjoy watching the Snows come full circle, as each generation faces similar challenges, dreams and desire for love. Female readers in particular will take interest in the growing opportunities for women in each successive generation. (Historical fiction. YA)
