The Myth of Perpetual Summer was somewhat of a departure from Susan Crandall's Whistling Past the Graveyard, in that her protagonist is not a feisty young southern belle, but rather a decidedly defenseless young girl, trying to find her way in the midst of a dysfunctional family, in a chaotic small town. Both novels, however, are engrossing coming of age stories. Crandall has a way of engulfing the reader in the despair and reality of the situations her characters are thrown into, while adding points of light throughout.
This novel would surely strike a chord in the hearts of many whose lives are affected by mental illness, and also brings awareness to those of us who are more naive with regard to the reality and repercussions of these diseases. With more and more stories coming to light of mental illness going untreated, this story is as timely as ever.
Tallulah is a beautiful soul, with a huge heart, and a fragile identity. She's the type of character the reader roots for from the beginning, and my heart broke right along with hers through her trials and tribulations. Along the way, relationships forge with endearing secondary characters, creating a very moving and rather complex narrative that speaks to the heart.
Not only does the author tackle mental illness, but also addresses racial discrimination, and southern propriety within the context of the human psyche. One would assume that this melange of topics would be too much for one novel to delve into, but somehow Crandall creates a lovely patchwork in her attempt to bring awareness to these important themes.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Gallery Books for gifting me with this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Read 9/22/2018
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