Flight
Patterns. Karen White. Berkley Reprint. March 2017. 432 pp. ISBN#: 9780451470923.
Georgia
Chambers has found pleasure in developing her antiques business, keeping busy
in order to keep some very bad memories out of the forefront of her
consciousness. That’s all about to
change as James Graf hires her to find a certain tea cup painted with bees to
complete a set missing this piece.
Although Georgia is an expert on Limoges china, she also is quite
knowledgeable about other fine china, particularly those unique handcrafted
types that are extremely valuable. The
piece James describes to her brings back such a powerful memory that she pales
and feels like she’s suffocating. For
she knows she must now return to her hometown in Florida to seek this china
teacup, and she’s coerced into allowing James to accompany her.
The
time spent in Apalachicola, Florida will be life-changing for the sisters,
Georgia and Maisy, their grandmother Birdie, Maisy’s daughter Becky, Grandpa,
James and his sister Caroline and other characters from Europe who are part of
this intriguing family history. The
story is complex and intense but evolves to the point where the family secrets
of each character are revealed, real and imagined wrongdoings are faced and
somewhat and then completely forgiven, silence and oblivion are removed once
truth is embraced, the finding of journals as well as post cards and honey
forces questions to be answered and so much more that is perfectly woven
together at just the right pace.
Every
chapter begins with a quote about the life of bees, specifically describing how
they interact and their functions at different times of their lives. These additional lines literally and
figuratively foreshadow what follows in each chapter – a charming extra touch!
Karen
White is a highly skilled writer whose fiction just keeps getting better and
better! If this is your first novel by her, you’re in for a treat! You’ll probably want to read her other works
as well. For the threads of secrets and
memories keep the characters from being stereotypical, the plot is both simple
and complex, and the tension is relieved by warm and tender moments in all the
right places.
Wonderful,
light (somewhat) fiction that this reviewer highly recommends as a great read
at any time of year! Thanks to the
publisher, Berkely, who provided this novel in return for an honest review!
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