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There are currently 46 member reviews
for Home Sweet Home
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Laure R. (Fresno, CA)
GREAT READ
A young attorney and his wife make the leap from New York City to America's Heartland with their small children seeking a better, more wholesome environment for their family. The small rural community they settle in provides the very best and worst of both people and the land during the 1950's and beyond.
This author provides descriptions and voices to them all with great skill. The dialogues seem completely genuine to my ear. That is a rare and very pleasant experience for me having grown up in a similar place during the same period.
Based on a true story, the author provides a chilling picture of the Cold War era, complete with the accompanying fanaticism and fears as the young attorney pursues a political career against powerful opposition. The resulting successful libel suit and, years later, the gruesome murders that occurred made this book impossible for me to put down.
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Marjorie W. (Bonita Springs, FL)
Home Sweet Home
I found this a very interesting story - I remember the days of the Cold War and the Communist fears - especially as carried out by Senator Joe MacCarthy. So many good people were injured during that time. The story of the Kuseks, their struggles, successes and downfall held my interest and I found myself rooting for them throughout. I think it would make a very good discussion book for my Book Club.
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Portia A. (Monroe Township, NJ)
Highly recommended
Based on a true event, this book is the story of an attorney, his wife and family who are caught up in Cold War fanaticism. I am old enough to remember those days and to fear that I am seeing a resurgence of the rhetoric, now about Islam, that fueled the heartbreak and evilness that befell them. The story is beautifully told; both the bad and the good. Read it if you can...
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Virginia B. (Foster, RI)
McCarthyism on the Prairie
The novel begins with a description of Rapid City, SD that did not match my memories and experiences of that city but moves on to describe the prairie perfectly. A complex plot that moves back and forth in time with several well drawn characters could be confusing but Smith navigates these changes adroitly. Her vibrant descriptions of emotions, landscapes, and events capture the lives and conflicts of a rural community engulfed in change ring true. Homesteading, politics, family life, and violent murders make for a heady mix that kept me interested to the last word.
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poniesnpearls, Florida
Descriptive
I enjoyed this book. I thought the descriptions of places, people and circumstances were well done and the story held my interest as it moved from beginning to end. Decisions have consequences - good or bad / right or wrong, but once out of control, it can be difficult to return to normal. I thought the author did a good job of bringing that element to life in this story.
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Maggie P. (Mount Airy, MD)
Home Sweet Home
Leaving NYC, the Kuseks settle in North Dakota where attorney Cal has a service buddy. Adapting to the small town setting, the Kuseks slowly make friends and build their home. Cal has political aspirations which uncover something about his past his neighbors are leery of. This changes everything about how the Kuseks are viewed and treated by the community. While most of the book takes place during the 1950s, there is a lot of parallel with what is happening today when it comes to those who don't believe as we do. A fast read.
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Alissa C. (Woodstown, NJ)
Not what I was expecting
To start, I loved finding out that this story was based on true events- it made the characters so much more engaging for me, and their ends were then more painful bc this actually happened. Still, I had a difficult time reading this novel due to the political nature and opinions; having just come out of a pretty vicious election cycle, it would have been nice to maybe save this read for a later date! I did find the writing to be very engaging, very entertaining- the characters were well written, if a bit too polarizing. (I mean, one example- Cal is literally described as a wise founding father, facing off with a pudgy, somewhat evil bumpkin. The characters can come off as too posed and static in their depiction, but not always.). I overall enjoyed this novel, the description of the town, the ranch life, and even the politics of the time. I still find it hard to believe anyone would leave a city for such an unknown and rural life :)
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