Jennifer Chiaverini, The Quilter's Homecoming

The Quilter's Homecoming

Jennifer Chiaverini

Simon & Schuster, Mar 2007, $25.00

ISBN 0743260228

In 1925 Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Bergstrom marries Henry Nelson. To show how much he loves her, Henry buys a ranch in Southern California sight unseen. Filled with apprehension, sadness and euphoria, they say their goodbyes to loved ones at Elm Creek Manor to take the train west.

Upon arrival at their ranch, they learn they own nothing as they have been swindled out of their savings by a crooked person. Broke, depressed and with no place to turn except perhaps returning to her family in the Keystone State, which the proud Henry rejects, they get a break from the real owners; the Jorgesons hire Elizabeth as a housemaid and Henry to work the ranch. Whereas Elizabeth moves on trying to make the best of their setback and elated to have meals and a roof over their head, Henry becomes angry and acrimonious towards everyone, including his employer and his wife, as if the scam were their fault. Elizabeth considers leaving her rancorous spouse to go home to her family without him.

This Elm Creek historical tale contains three subplots of which the prime is the relationship between Henry and Elizabeth; the other two centers on the Rodriguez family losing their land in the 1880s and Rosa Rodriquez in an abusive marriage having an affair with Lars Jorgeson. Shockingly, the Rodriguez tales are much more fascinating than that of the lead couple in spite of in some ways they feel like fillers, especially the 1880s saga. Henry's ornery and angry nature turns off the readers more than he does even Elizabeth as he deserves scorn not for being duped, but for taking out his misfortune on people kind to him.

Harriet Klausner