The Resettlement of Vesta Blonik
In 1937, Vesta Blonik—thirty years old, unmarried, plain as her surname, and stuck with her disagreeable father on a farm in Minnesota—finds her life taking an even bleaker turn: her father has made plans for the future that do not include Vesta. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, Gordon Crenshaw’s grief over the loss of his wife and newborn child sends him spiraling downward, leading his family to commit him to the state mental hospital in Raleigh. Having learned of each other through mutual connections, Vesta and Gordon decide that marriage might be a solution to their problems—but Vesta travels to North Carolina knowing only part of the truth about Gordon.
I enjoyed this novel for a number of reasons. Its down-to-earth hero and heroine are resilient and sympathetic; its settings (particularly the North Carolina ones, with which I am familiar) are well evoked; and the unfussy prose is a pleasure to read. Those hoping for a Southern Gothic novel, or for a gritty depiction of Depression-era America, won’t find either here, but those who appreciate sensitively told stories of decent people muddling along as best they can will be well satisfied.
