Welcome to Litsy!

Before this I was unaware of divorce ranches in Reno where women could live for six months in order to file for a divorce. The plot was not predictable, but it didn't have much of a climax and sometimes felt repetitive.

Riding the bus = reading time

I thought this would be an interesting social commentary, looking at a time when divorce was not widely legal, forcing women (of means) to live in Nevada for a short time to “establish residency,” then finally be granted their divorce. But I got through about 25% of it and it‘s like watching paint dry. Back to the library it goes!

3.5 ⭐️ This is literary fiction that has historical fiction sprinkled throughout it. Beaird utilizes imagery of 1950s Reno that is intoxicating. The book, especially the pacing, reminded me of an old black-and-white film. There were moments in the book that needed further development and depth. Ifyou enjoy slow-burns with moody, light mystery overtones, you‘ll likely enjoy this book. Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127306119

4-4-22: My 31st finished book of 2022! Ward, our narrator, is being interviewed in 1988 about his time at a ranch in Reno, Nevada, called The Flying Leap in 1938. He was a ranch hand at this establishment that catered to women going through divorces. They had to reside in Reno for 6 weeks before they were allowed to divorce and Ward was there to assist. Ward tells of his time with Emily and Nina, two divorcees he became close with.

Did this piece of historical fiction about quickie divorces in 1930s Reno break my HF curse? Read my full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#better-luck-next-time

DNFing at 42%. A disappointing slog. I loved Johnson's first novel so much, I had high hopes for this one. The setting--a 1930s Reno divorce ranch--is great. But why--WHY--did Johnson choose to tell the story of two women divorcees through the first-person viewpoint of a man who works at the ranch? It does not work.

A fun setting, but the execution was a little slow. Read for #bookclub

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