This story was certainly different than I was expecting. First of all, I was surprised that it took so long for Edith to reunite with Helen. I also thought that their reunion would be more "emotional". I had a really hard time with their passivity. It pretty much drove me nuts in fact! Edith's entire life was passive. Here these two sisters grow up together, only having each other after their parents die. Helen takes their inheritance for herself and her own goals. Edith does nothing. Helen becomes extremely wealthy and thinks about giving Edith her half of the original inheritance. But, Helen does nothing. Edith lives in poverty and allows Diana to steal their neighbors' property to sell online to keep Edith's car running so she can work her minimum wage jobs. (Ok, Edith obviously doesn't "allow" Diana to steal, but she is so passive, she is clueless about what Diana is doing.) I have a read a lot of "charming" books. I have even called them charming. On the jacket cover of this book it says, "In this deeply affecting family saga, resolution can take generations, but when it finally comes, we're surprised, moved and delighted." Really? Not so much for me.
The character I was most impressed by was actually Diana. Her parents die unexpectedly and she has to go live with her grandmother Edith. Good old passive Edith. She is given a chance in a most unexpected way (the man she steals from gives her a job) and she runs with it. Diana is a hard worker, goal-oriented, relentless, loyal and when things don't go her way, she finds a different way. (Although I did get irritated with her when she was whining and complaining about being pregnant after trying so hard to get pregnant in the first place! She suffered how many miscarriages and when she was finally able to carry a baby full-term she complains about it?? I just don't get it.) Anyway, other than that, I was most impressed with Diana in the book. She even gives her Uncle Eugene a job after he FINALLY straightened up his act and started acting like a man instead of mooching off his passive mother.
I did like reading about the beer industry, being a craft beer lover myself. This story is more proof that you have to "roll with the times" in all industries. If you don't change your product over time, or diversify your product, your fortune will come tumbling down. And then Helen tries to "redeem" herself by giving Diana Edith's half of their inheritance. Too little too late Helen. And why give it to Diana? Edith is the one you cheated. Nope. Not charming.
Wendy's Rating: ***
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