May B. by Caroline Starr Rose
Release: January 10th 2012
Format: Kindle
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Source: Amazon
May B. Synopsis:
I’ve known it since last night:
It’s been too long to expect them to return.
Something’s happened.
May is helping out on a neighbor’s Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it’s hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May’s memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she’s determined to find her way home again.
Caroline Starr Rose’s fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.
Review:
I am a fan of the Little House in the Prairie series and I felt that this was a similar story, with a more dark and eerie atmosphere. I enjoyed the lyrical stances which narrated the story. May B. is a wonderful protagonist. Her teacher and peers think she is dumb because she is dyslexic and has trouble reading. However, she relies on her gut instincts of survival and perseveres to stay alive and against all odds. The story is gripping and I kept wondering what May would do next during her turmoil. Even though each chapter is small, we can clearly see all the emotions that May goes through while she thinks of survival tactics.
I enjoyed Caroline Starr Rose’s style of writing. She seamlessly creates a suspenseful atmosphere through short verses on how May is feeling. There are times when I felt claustrophobic when May studies the remaining rations in the sod to stay healthy. However, there were also times where I felt that the book got a bit repetitive as nothing happened for a few chapters.
This is one of those books where I had a profound sense of appreciation after completing it. We have advanced so much in the last few decades in terms of our way of living. I feel like if I was ever in May’s shoes, I don’t think I would have the survival instincts and go through what she did. It really made me appreciate so many things that we just take for granted and not thankful enough for.
Overall, I feel that ‘May B’ is one of those books that intended for younger readers, but that will appeal to adults even more for its underlying themes of dyslexia and isolation. I enjoyed reading this one!
