Inspired by true events, in Sofia Grant’s powerfully moving new novel a young woman peels back the layers of her family’s history, discovering a tragedy in the past that explains so much of the present. This unforgettable story is one of hope, healing, and the discovery of truth.Sometimes the untold stories of the past are the ones we need to hear…When Katie Garrett gets the unexpected news … gets the unexpected news that she’s received an inheritance from the grandmother she hardly knew, it couldn’t have come at a better time. She flees Boston—and her increasingly estranged husband—and travels to rural Texas.
There, she’s greeted by her distant cousin Scarlett. Friendly, flamboyant, eternally optimistic, Scarlett couldn’t be more different from sensible Katie. And as they begin the task of sorting through their grandmother’s possessions, they discover letters and photographs that uncover the hidden truths about their shared history, and the long-forgotten tragedy of the New London school explosion of 1937 that binds them.
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A friend suggested I read this book, knowing I enjoyed historical fiction. I must say that I’d never heard of this horrible event. I found the story interesting and sad. Sad for the loss of the children, but also sad for the loss of family relationships.
This story had some good plot twists, however, for me they were a little too late in the book. I felt the tale dragged and found it hard to figure out where the story was going until closer to the end.
Some of the characters were well developed and others were not. The lackadaisical attitude towards an affair bothered me, especially when she was upset about her husband doing the same thing. I also felt that there were some unanswered questions in the plot line regarding the strained relationship between Margaret and Georgina.
This could have been a gripping story, but for me it was just okay.
Heading back to Texas after her grandmother died since she was named in the will was the last thing Katie expected to be doing, but it might have been something good since she and Liam were having some problems.
On her way to the airport, she and Liam were mugged and the only thing Katie had was a maxed-out credit card, sixteen dollars, and her driver’s license that she managed to keep from the mugger. He took her phone, her computer, and all of her clothes.
Other obstacles were waiting for Katie when she arrived in Texas. Her mother as usual wasn’t there to help, but her cousin Scarlett picked her up in a monster truck, took her to grandmother Margaret’s home, and left her to the memories in the house until Scarlett could come back the next day.
THE DAISY CHILDREN takes us back and forth from the time of the explosion in 1937 of a school in New London that killed at least three hundred children and subsequently caused the birth nine months later of siblings of the children killed in the explosion to present day family members and situations.
Sofia Grant has written a captivating tale that takes us to Texas as we follow Margaret’s granddaughters, Katie and Scarlett, as they find family secrets while cleaning out her home. As Katie and Scarlett search through things in their grandmother’s house, secrets come out about many things that were unknown.
THE DAISY CHILDREN has an interesting story line based on this true event accompanied by Ms. Grant’s beautiful writing and marvelous descriptions that take you inside the story with the characters and allow the reader to perfectly visualize everything.
Ms. Grant’s beautiful writing style quickly pulls you into the book’s story line and historical telling of the 1937 event.
The characters are genuine and true to their era and add a wonderful dimension to the book. Most of the characters are likable.
THE DAISY CHILDREN is a lovely, heartwarming saga revealing family secrets through letters and photographs with the story being wrapped around this little known historical event.
Women’s fiction fans will adore this book and will want to recommend it to everyone who loves family drama, family history, and family secrets.
The ending was terrific, and I didn’t want the book to end. 5/5
This book was given to me as an ARC. All opinions are my own.