Sometimes I need a breather between dense and heavy books, but I require an honest, organic voice when a narrator is also the main character. April Sawicki is that gal, a 16 year-old high school dropout from a bad parenting family but with good people skills of her own. Plus, she has guitar and songwriting talent. Her journey away from her hometown of Little River, New York starts in mid-1994 in Ithaca, where she finds her groove and independence, and makes her first female friend. The ties she cut in Little River prepares her to know the difference between authentic people and the phony ones. Her path is a little bit zig-zaggy, and there are certainly tears shed along the way, but each experience adds to her maturity and song writing as she captures her feelings and learns more about the people and places around her. April is brave and vulnerable, loving/passionate but afraid of settling for something less than her desire for accomplishment, as well as a bit commitment-phobic. She’s too young to settle down. The lifestyle of vagabond (ish)-musician suits her, and the story of her adventures is irresistible. It’s about coming into her own.
“I feel like I am actually here. Like someone dropped my mind into my body and it’s a shock to the system. I think maybe they were only walking side by side before this and now we are here together, both parts of me.” April demonstrates keen insights, which both protect her and keep her moving along. There are definite snags along the way, as she meets people, reaches out, attaches and detaches. Some are people she never sees again, but others are the people she wants to keep around. She accumulates and sheds, and along the way she captivates almost everyone she meets. As reader, you become her biggest fan, or you become April! I swung from one to the other. When I wasn’t rooting for April, I WAS April. That’s how finely tuned her character was written. Like she popped out of the pages into my life. Yes, we all could use a little April in our lives.
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Poignant, Character Driven Story
I read The People We Keep for my book club, which focuses on books with strong women characters and/or by women authors.Set in the mid-90s, this tale follows the story of April Sawicki, a 16-year-old girl from a small town who has been dealt a raw deal when it comes to family. After a fight with her father, April steals a car and flees their motor-free motorhome to find somewhere she can fit in and call home.This is a character-driven story with a stream-of-consciousness writing style that really resonated with me. We travel with April as she spends nights in her car, finds various people to stay with, and lines up various jobs and musical gigs. She meets an interesting array of people along the way, and we are immersed in her thoughts as she makes mistakes –sometimes the same mistake more than once – and learns to trust herself and others.The book fits the theme of my book club really well. Larkin creates a flawed, endearing, memorable character in April. Throughout the course of the novel, I was concerned, frustrated, and sad for her. Mostly, I wanted her to grow and find happiness – and Larkin ultimately allows her to do both.The People We Keep is a touching story about found family and reminds me of both the people who have come into my life for a reason and those who will always be there no matter what.If you enjoy books like Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts, chances are you will be a fan of this one as well.
Top reviews from other countries
Christoph Walther
Beautiful story - a modern girl lead take to the classic on the road stories
Reviewed in Germany on October 31, 2023
grln.grc🥀💀
Book papers is damaged!
Reviewed in Italy on February 24, 2022
grln.grc🥀💀
Reviewed in Italy on February 24, 2022
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