In Zanesville

In Zanesville (2011) by Jo Ann Beard. This is a rather entertaining book about a teenage girl's struggles during a brief period in the 1970s. She lives in the smallish town of Zanesville, Illinois, and it is on this stage that she acts out her drama. It consists mostly of a fight with her girlfriend, Felicia, after the two of them go to a party with the popular kids in school. The gist of the novel is in the details, however, beautifully reproduced portraits of our heroine's mother, her drunk father, her sister and her little brother. By the time the novel is done, you feel like you know them; and although you might not choose to hang out with them, they are familiar. Not much of pith and moment happens, but it is a pleasant journey, getting to know these characters. Grade: B