Two Thumbs Up!

Title: The Day the Falls Stood Still
Author: Cathy Marie Buchanan
Tags: Historical Fiction

I am giving a review on a book that was recommended to me (thank you Ju). Let me just start out by saying, this is the kind of book that makes me wish I had more time to read.

The Day the Falls Stood Still is a really wonderful story. Based in and around Niagara Falls in the early 1900's, the book mainly revolved around one teenage girl and her struggles in life. After her father loses his prestigious job at the local power company, Bess Heath and her family are faced with many difficult changes. Bess and her mother are forced to keep the family afloat in hard economic and social times, while her father is not willing/able to, and her sister is bedridden with an undiagnosed ailment.

Bess is very loyal to her family, but she is also drawn to a strange man that is certainly looked down upon. Does she choose to listen to her family and follow her head - or - does she follow her heart and stray from the expected to seek out the man that intrigues her so?? This is a unique story of betrayal, forbidden love, true happiness, deep depression, social acceptance, power, war, and, unfortunately, unbearable loss.

From start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter in Bess's life. It is very well written as you seem to flow from her childhood into her adult life without even noticing. The author's description of Niagara Falls was fantastic. I have only been there twice in my life, but with the authors help, it was not hard to conjure up memories of the rushing water, whirlpool rapids, rising mist, and the deep gorge the falls are known for.

I am a big fan of the local library and that's where I get most of my material from. I usually have a time constraint problem when borrowing, but this book was so good that I finished it well before my 3 week lending time was up. I think it goes without saying, but I would definitley recommend this book.