Susan Taylor Chehak's "Smithereens": A Plain Story of a Plain Girl That's Plain Boring
Written: Oct 17 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A fast and easy read
Cons: Dull plot; under-developed characters
The Bottom Line: A great way to kill a few hours with little to no fulfillment.
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| AshleyA's Full Review: Susan Taylor Chehak - Smithereens: A Novel Books |
When I read the book jacket upon deciding on whether or not I wanted to spend time with the heroine May Caldwell, I thought that Susan Taylor Chehak's "Smithereens" would be an intriguing, easy read. It was an easy read, but intruguing, it was not.
Set in Linwood, Iowa during modern times, Chehak weaves a yarn centered around teenager May Caldwell whose lackluster life leaves much to be desired. Almost 16 and with not much to look forward to, a little adventure drives into her life one day in the form of the spunky yet manipulative Francis (Frankie) Crane.
Frankie's history with the Caldwell family precedes May's birth. Out of desperation for a child in her life, May's mother decides to sponsor a child. She's matched with a Kentucky girl (Frankie), and they become lifelong penpals. Despite having May in her life, May's mother continues to correspond with Frankie sending her cards for special occasions as well as gifts. Frankie's Uncle Elgin suffers a horrible accident causing him to lose both of his arms. He gives his old Lincoln Continental to Frankie, and she sets out for the open road leaving Kentucky behind.
With Frankie in her life, May's world becomes a little more exciting to her, but I didn't find there to be too much pickup in the pace of the book with Frankie's entrance. May comes of age at Frankie's side as she drinks, shoplifts, smokes, and takes drugs just like Frankie. Frankie is also May's accomplice in the seduction of an older man, Paul Gerald, who is an employee of the family furniture store.
Through her brief sexual experience with Paul, the onset of her sixteenth birthday, the death of her stroke stricken grandmother Meems, and the revelation of her uncle Brodie's past, we are supposed to feel pain and compassion for May. What ultimately happens is we learn that Frankie's stay with the family was all out of trying to take advantage of the Caldwell family's generosity. She ends up killing her boyfriend, and fleeting character in the book, and stuffing him into the incinerator of the furniture store. Due to a gas leak and the misfortune of lighting a cigarette at the wrong place at the wrong time, Paul Gerald dies in a fiery explosion at the store, and our young protagonist May winds up a wiser and sadder individual. Frankie becomes a legend mysteriously disappearing leaving only her black Continental behind.
With much of the emphasis early on in the novel placed on how very plain May is by way of looks, personality, and goings on in her life, it's not too difficult for some readers to relate to her. Unfortunately, I felt that the author was too wrapped up in making it clear as to how run-of-the-mill May was that she failed to give her much depth. Sure, she was mischievous and one to experiment, but her tagalong nature and inability to stand up for herself until the very end make her spineless and unlikable. Frankie, on the other hand, had a little more depth of chracter and an air of mystery about her, but she was just as unlikable as readers can see right through her from the very beginning.
I found that Chehak had good narrative ability. Her descriptions were easy to picture, and the story-telling was straightforward. The flow of the book felt a bit disjointed, and I never felt a connection with any of the characters. The plot itself was bland and while events were paced consistently, it seemed very slow as a whole.
I'd be reluctant to pick up another one of Chehak's books based on this one. Unless her storylines of her other works are more captivating and her characters are more three-dimensional, I am perfectly content at spending my time reading works of other more skilled fiction writers.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
AshleyA
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Member: Ashley
Location: Austin, Texas
Reviews written: 59
Trusted by: 49 members
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Livin' the good life in Texas.
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