The unlikely intersection of a status-conscious aspiring politician, Avery Stafford, and a young river gypsy from two different times forms the foundation of a story that will stick with you for a long time.

Rill and her siblings are snatched from the shanty boat and taken into the custody of Georgia Tann of the Tennesee Children's Home Society. Each is renamed and those who are desirable are adopted to families who have no idea they're taking in a child who was loved and mourned by good, loving parents who have little recourse to find and retrieve them.

The stories of Rill and Avery are well told and, while you know they're going to intersect, the connection they share is still surprising and touching. There are twists, turns, sadness and joy that keep your heart in their stories until the end. Strong character development carries the reader through the tragedy and seemingly insurmountable obstacles as we see Rill persevere through to the end.

This is a heartbreaking topic which is fraught with emotion on so many different levels and I felt Wingate handle it deftly with the exception of modern-day bigotry. Instead of tackling it head on she allowed her characters to subtly sidestep it. Instead of a fist-pumping triumphant finish, the end becomes more nuanced and the reader must be satisfied with a compromise that keeps everyone happy but with a vague sense that it could have been better.

This was a very fast and engrossing read, made much more interesting by it being based on factual events. Great summer read!

In 1939 Rill Foss is a twelve year old girl whose home is on the shantyboat Arcadia, floating on the turbid waters of Mississippi River . Her world revolves around her parents, Briny and Queenie, and her four younger siblings: Camellia, Lark, Fern and Gabion. They are a close family whose lives are simple and placid. Their possessions, though few are cared for and treasured. When the midwife is unable to help Queenie in her labor to deliver twins and Brimy has to take her to the hospital, all their fates change forever. In the absence of Rill’s parents, strangers knock at the door and force their way in, taking all five Foss children to the Tennessee Children’s Home. Under the custody of Georgia Tann and her employees, they are scared, hungry, and abused. Rill feels the responsibility of being the oldest. She tries to look after the others, and keep her siblings together, but she is powerless against Tann’s corrupt system.

Avery Stafford is a aspiring lawyer, born in to a politically prestigious family. A chance meeting with an elderly woman, a photograph, and a peek into an appointment book spar her to embark on an investigation of her grandmother’s past life. When she learns the truth it will change how she sees herself and her life goals. This tale is told in alternate chapters from Rill and Avery’s perspective.

My favorite line from this novel is “A woman’s past need not predict her future. She can dance to new music if she chooses. Her own music. To hear the tune, she must only stop talking.” P. 317

I had a hard time putting down this wonderful creation of historical fiction. I was drawn to it even though it made me feel sad and angry. I cried for all those who were affected by the evils of the Tennessee Children’s Home, and was irate that so many families had no recourse to the life changing ¬¬¬¬events set in motion by the greed and corruption of Georgia Tann and her organization. This book serves as reminder that some dark times lurk in American history.

While I understand that Lisa Wingate exposed these injustices by creating Avery’s character, I would have been intrigued much moreso to have had the entire book told from Rill’s perspective and have learned how she found her sisters one by one and pieced her being back together again.

I read this for a book club. It's divided into past and present sections and I found the plotline from the past more engaging than the pres ent day. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a horrific retelling of an orphanage in Memphis and the woman who ran it.

...”but the river was still a river. The visceral nature and challenges of life there are a constant in a world driven by ever-changing humanity. The river cares little for borders or politics, wealth or poverty. She simply is what she is.”

Happy to have dove into and read this story. A fascinating look into a real-world story told thru a fictional character. I wish the plot left a bit more to be discovered as you went, as most of the connections I figured out early on, but it was still worth the time spent reading. As a river rat, myself, the imagery and scenes set in the river were the most enjoyable to read.

This was a great story of triumph over tragedy. I loved the characters, love the writing style, great description, beautiful flow. I listened to this book on audible and found myself going back to it as often as possible.

I liked the narrator for the most part but found the male voice a little aggravating.

The story parallels the life of a young girl taken from her parents and the niece who is piecing together the mystery of connection. There are a few places where coincidence is used to move the story along (i.e. the cab in the driveway, Silus finding them but the parents unable, etc.) but they were minor in the big scheme of things. I really enjoyed the book.