August 8, 2022
In Chin’s whimsical if uneven debut novel (after the memoir Let the Tornado Come), a young woman gets an unexpected inheritance from a neighbor. Leah Fern, 21, receives a large sum of cash from the estate of photographer Essie East, along with Essie’s ashes. In a letter, Essie instructs Leah where to scatter her remains and promises information on the whereabouts of Leah’s mother, Jeannie Starr, a carnival magician who abandoned Leah at age six. As Leah recovers additional letters from Essie on a trail that leads across the U.S. and Canada, Essie’s life story and her relationships with four other artists—particularly her complicated ties to a jeweler and blacksmith—gradually come into focus. The plot is a bit hackneyed and the final twist involving Jeannie predictable, but Chin has a sure hand in showing Leah’s transformation as she processes her childhood neglect and learns to open up. “Have the courage to love,” writes Essie in one of her letters, prompting Leah to forge bonds with those she meets along the way, including the proprietor of an animal sanctuary and a waitress who helps Leah locate an important landmark. Though this often feels well-worn, Chin reaches some admirable heights. Agent: Maggie Cooper, Aevitas Creative Management.
March 17, 2023
Chin's debut novel (after her memoir Let the Tornado Come) follows 21-year-old Leah Fern as she journeys across the U.S. and Canada searching for answers about her mother's life. Leah, a skilled empath, grew up as part of the Blazing Calyx Carnival until her magician mother mysteriously disappeared and left her with her guardian, Edward. On the eve of her 21st birthday, Leah, who had been preparing to take her own life, is presented with information that may explain why her mother left so many years ago. Narrator Sarah Skaer captures the aura of magic that permeates the story, although her presentation is somewhat marred by slow pacing and an overly sweet tone. Even so, Skaer's characterizations strike the right note, particularly her depictions of secondary characters--neighbor Essie, whose letters sparkle with wisdom; gentle Edward, who never loses hope; and various good Samaritans whom Leah encounters on the way. VERDICT Although some listeners may wish for more momentum to carry the story along, Chin's touching tale speaks to the enduring bonds of family and community. Recommended for fans of Aimee Bender's The Butterfly Lampshade or Therese Walsh's The Moon Sisters.--Sarah Hashimoto
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.