Escaping Yesterday
Lottie Chase was raped by her uncle when she was very young, bore a child, and was forced to give the infant girl to her cold-hearted aunt and lecherous uncle. When Elsa reaches the age that Lottie was when she was molested, Lottie vows to protect the girl from the same fate. The two of them escape New York and end up in Denver in 1905. Having worked at Coney Island, Lottie seeks out the amusement park in town, Elitch’s Gardens. Bluffing her way past Mary Elitch Long’s long-time employee and protective friend, Caleb Hudson, Lottie convinces Mary to give her a job.
Instant conflict arises between Lottie and Caleb. She encourages Mary to add rides to the park, on which she’s hoping to collect a commission, while Caleb, a gardener, wants to add more tranquility to the park, fearing the screams of people on roller coasters, recalling the screams of the men he lost on San Juan Hill.
Both Lottie and Caleb are sympathetic protagonists, and their conflict gives way to mutual understanding. The real villains of the piece are Rupert Gennick, in whom Lottie unwisely confided, and Lottie’s Uncle Edward. When Rupert can’t get what he wants from Lottie, he threatens the security of Elitch’s Gardens and Lottie and Elsa’s safety. Although Edward remains mostly off-stage until the end of the book, his vileness is felt throughout as Lottie, like children of child abuse often do, believes his lies that make her feel responsible for his actions. Caleb convinces her otherwise, but this portion of the book is heart-wrenching.
Nowak is as gifted with settings as she is with emotional tone. Elitch’s Gardens was a real amusement park in Denver, and the rides, animals, and Mary Elitch Long and her husband Tom are brought to vivid life again.
