1944. Maebelle Willett arrives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, eager to begin her new government job and send money home to her struggling family. She knows very little about the work she’s been assigned—only that it will help America win the war. But all is not what it seems. Though employees are forbidden from discussing their jobs, Mae’s roommate begins sharing unsettling information… and then suddenly disappears. As Mae searches for answers, she uncovers a life-altering truth—one that comes at a great personal cost.
1979. Laurel Willett, a graduate student in Boston, discovers the history of Oak Ridge, where thousands unknowingly worked on the development of the atomic bomb. Intrigued—especially because her Aunt Mae once worked there—Laurel spends the summer with her, hoping to include a personal connection in her thesis. But Mae refuses to speak about her past. Instead, her friends begin to share their stories, leading Laurel deeper into a mystery involving a missing woman. As the truth unfolds, the buried pain and guilt Mae has carried for decades begin to surface—with potentially devastating consequences.
I really enjoy Michelle Shocklee’s writing, especially her historical fiction. I also appreciate that her books are wholesome and clean and free of obscenity. Like her other novels, this one taught me so much history. I had never really thought about where or how the atomic bomb was developed—or the profound impact it had on the people involved in its creation.
No comments:
Post a Comment