Amy & Lan: A Novel

In the process of reviewing books, one often becomes jaded in finding the reading a drudgery rather than a joy. That is certainly not the case with Amy & Lan. I felt compelled to keep reading, thought about the story a lot — particularly at bedtime — and couldn’t wait to continue reading. What a delight this book is, and how wonderful to find an author who can create such alive characters. Sadie Jones has written six other novels, which I cannot wait to access.

Her new book, Amy & Lan, is told by the main characters as they switch chapters. At the beginning of the story, they are seven years old and deeply bonded to each other. They live on a communal farm and are attuned to the natural world, their domestic animals, and the grown-ups who are novices at managing a rural existence.

Each of the characters is unique and well-drawn. We get to know their strong points as well as the hubris in each of them, which makes this story so compelling. This is a wonderful book.