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A review by meghanfulmer
The Bridge by Doug Marlette
4.0
The Bridge is the story of Pick Cantrell, a political cartoonist living in New York whose career has just fallen apart. When Pick and his family move back to his home state of North Carolina, he is forced to spend time with family that he had long been able to avoid, especially his formidable grandmother, Mama Lucy. Through his evolving relationship with Mama Lucy, Pick begins to uncover stories from his grandmother's past and discovers her role in the General Textile Strike of 1934.
The book moves backward and forward in time as we see Mama Lucy in her youth, describing her life as a poor mill worker, and then also watching the present-day story of Pick unfold. I really liked the scenes that took place in the past; it was fascinating to learn about the issues faced by mill hands and learn more about Mama Lucy's character. The modern plot has its own complexities, as Pick and his wife Cameron struggle to find their new normal in North Carolina, and Pick continues to uncover more details about his complicated family.
I really enjoyed this book. I love Southern fiction, and the North Carolina backdrop was gorgeous. I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit unrealistic, but overall this was an intriguing story filled with interesting characters.
The book moves backward and forward in time as we see Mama Lucy in her youth, describing her life as a poor mill worker, and then also watching the present-day story of Pick unfold. I really liked the scenes that took place in the past; it was fascinating to learn about the issues faced by mill hands and learn more about Mama Lucy's character. The modern plot has its own complexities, as Pick and his wife Cameron struggle to find their new normal in North Carolina, and Pick continues to uncover more details about his complicated family.
I really enjoyed this book. I love Southern fiction, and the North Carolina backdrop was gorgeous. I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit unrealistic, but overall this was an intriguing story filled with interesting characters.