In the Prohibition era Missouri Ozarks, three sisters take over their father’s moonshine business in an evocative story of reinvention, sisterhood, and the alchemy of love for readers of Jeannette Walls, Fannie Flagg, Sue Monk Kidd, and Donna Everhart.
Every batch of Strong moonshine has its own special flavor, thanks to the secret ingredients that matriarch Lidy Strong adds to the barrels of fermenting corn mash. Whether a bucketful of golden peaches, a ripe melon or juicy, jewel-toned berries, that extra “something something” is what makes the Strong “shine” so prized—and allows the family to survive after crop prices plummeted in the wake of the Great War.
Each of the Strong sisters, too, is distinct. Stoic, steadfast Rebecca would rather be with her beloved farm animals or off hunting in the woods than socializing. Middle sister Elsie is kindhearted, beautiful—and itching for a life more thrilling than the farm can offer. Jace, the youngest, is known far and wide as “Shine,” a name that suits her fiery personality and flaming red hair as much as her innate skill with a still.
Their father, Hiram, has been drowning himself in grief and liquor ever since his wife died. But the moonshine business is unforgiving, especially with Prohibition agents turning up in every creek and holler. When tragedy strikes, it falls to the Strong women to keep the still running, the family together, and hope burning on the horizon.
From the Ozark mountains edged in oak and pine, to the outlaw paradise of Hot Springs, Arkansas—where gangsters like Al Capone line the bar at the Southern Club—the sisters’ quests for vengeance, healing, and love will drive them forward, in search of a future as transformative and powerful as the purest Strong moonshine.
My thoughts:
This was a really interesting read. Not the normal women's historical fiction kind of book. I mean three women involved in running a moonshining business. These aren't our normal run of the mill girls, no. They were raised by their grief-stricken dad who loved to drink his moonshine in the hopes of not focusing on the love of his life, while his mother, a healer raised them in the Ozark mountains. Rebecca is out hunting and taking care of the farm animals, while Elsie is trying to do as little as possible--but daydreaming of a better life with a family of her own, and Shine (aka Jace) who makes moonshine with her daddy.
After tragedy strikes the family, the young women take charge. They need to make some money and head to Hot Springs, Arkansas to sell their moonshine--and Shine well she is after a Prohibition agent who needs to be dealt with.
Things for the family go from bad to worse. The short-term plan to make some money in Hot Springs turns into life changing events. Each woman grows and changes on her own but strengthens them as a whole.
There is a number of characters the author jumps around from one to another. I didn't think Rebecca's character really added too much to the story, where I thought Elise and Shine's could have been given more attention and dived a little deeper with. Or maybe given more depth to Rebecca--I don't want to spoil, but with the enormity of her relationship at the time was given very little. It would have been huge for everyone involved and it came across and just added in. I also would have liked to have gotten to know more about the grandmother-she was an interesting character.
Even though I have some criticisms, I really did enjoy the book. It's such a different story plot, but perfect for growing strong female characters! Shine was definitely my favorite character. I really appreciated the ending. I love knowing where the characters end up. I could even see a prequel book about the mother/grandmother. There seemed like there was more story to tell.
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