The Gypsy Moth Summer
By Julia Fierro
St. Martin’s Press, Hardcover, 9781250087515, June 6, 2017, 400pp.
The Short of It:
The inhabitants of Avalon island are trapped between the here and now and what the future holds for them during one of the worst moth infestations to ever hit the island.
The Rest of It:
The story starts off innocent enough. Jules and Leslie return to the island of Avalon with dreams of restoring her family home, known by all the locals as The Castle. While living in the cottage guest house, Jules is at first unsure of the move. Is this island ready to accept an interracial marriage, no questions asked? Jules is willing to find out when he discovers the beautiful gardens attached to The Castle.
Also on the island is Maddie and her rag-tag group of friends led by Bitsy, every bit as horrible as her name implies. Maddie is constantly measuring herself against her peers. Is she pretty enough? Smart enough? Cool enough? The pressure to fit in forces her to experiment even though in her head she knows it could end with disastrous results. But then Maddie meets Brooks, the son of Leslie and Jules. Brooks is like no other boy she’s met before but will their relationship be accepted by her friends? His family? Hers?
This is not the first time I’ve read a Fierro novel. Her first novel Cutting Teeth impressed me with its raw, brutal look at “adulting” before “adulting” was even a word. In The Gypsy Moth Summer, there is a lot of racial and class tension as these island inhabitants are thrown together while the destructive Gypsy moths devour trees to the point that their chomping can actually be heard.
This constant battle of life vs. death, creation vs. destruction, love vs. hate wears these characters down and the end result is a tightly wound novel full of dysfunction (my favorite thing). It’s not shiny and pretty to look at. It’s not sandy beaches and blue, blue water but it’s a little gritty and there’s heat between some of these characters which makes it a little racy at the same time. I loved how Fierro included facts about the Gypsy moth in the story and of course these life cycle inclusions could easily be compared to the island’s inhabitants as they go about their lives.
If you haven’t read a book by this author yet, DO give her a try. She has a knack for peeling back the layers and you know me, I love a little depth in my summer reads. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
For more information on the author, click here.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
This giveaway is for one copy of The Gypsy Moth Summer and is open to the US and Canada. A winner will be chosen randomly by me. The book will come directly from the publisher/tour coordinator. Only one entry per person. Giveaway closes on July 2, 2017 (pacific). I will contact the winner for his/her mailing address.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY! (now closed)
Source: Review copy provided by TLC Book Tours
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.
Sounds like a great summer read to me! I definitely need to try this author.
As usual you have made it sound fascinating.
I’ve seen mixed things about this book but you’ve piqued my interest. Thanks for the giveaway.
Wonderful review!!
Lots of buzz, and you made it sound even better.
Thanks for coming by my blog earlier and commenting on my review of COCOA BEACH.
I saw on your profile that you too love SHADOW OF THE WIND. Loved that book.
ENJOY the rest of your day.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Blog
Thank you, Elizabeth! Shadow of the Wind is one of my faves but I didn’t care for the others that came after it. They definitely fell short for me.
Racial tensions in a book can be so good. I just finished Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult and talk about racial tension! It was a very good book.
I’ve heard good things about that Picoult book.
Racial tension does make for a very good story. Add social class to the mix and then you have a lot of good discussion material. This book was just so very different. Not your glitzy island story. Gritty. At times even a little smutty!
All the great reviews are making me want to read this!
I love how she worked the moths into the story. They are a constant presence which really amps up the tension given their destructive nature.
everyone has been praising this one. I have to enter the giveaway
Her writing is so descriptive without it being too forced? You know what I mean? I noticed that in her first book as well. She has a way with words.
Yeah I like the idea of the moth infestation sort of as a metaphor for the human side of the story. Seems well done with tension. I don’t know this author yet so thanks for introducing her work.
I have to admit the gypsy moths really creep me out! The comparison to them and the not-so-nice people on this island seems to be a good one.
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
Sounds excellent! Of course, even the best novels are not keeping my interest these days. I need a reset on my brain.