Fabric of a Generation, by Tasha Madison
My review: ★★★
This is a tale of the tension between personal ambition and family. Miranda is a teenager who’d rather spend her time studying magic tricks than schoolwork. Miranda’s mother Anne is a workaholic TV producer who’s just on the cusp of the next stage of her career, but has sacrificed time with her family to get there. This book is about both of their journeys examining their values and ultimately trying to rebuild their family connections before they’re broken beyond repair.
Without giving away too much of the story, I’ll share that this is a work of historical fantasy, where you will find yourself experiencing life in several different historical time periods. These time periods are rendered in loving historical detail. While you follow Miranda’s story, you also get a real glimpse at life in other times, which is nice. We should do more to teach history this way.
My favorite thing about this book is the parallel between Miranda and her mother – making similar journeys at different stages in their lives. If anything, I wanted a bit more about her mother. But maybe that’s because I’m a mother myself. 🙂 I think the book could be tightened up a bit; a full half of the book goes by before we reach the historical journey, and I found myself impatiently waiting for the shoe to drop. There’s also an American history section where I couldn’t bring myself to read all the political conversation between revolutionary patriots. Other than that, it’s an enjoyable read.
A good book for teenagers – especially those who might be quarrelling a bit with their parents, or who would enjoy a bit of a glimpse into life in other eras.
