A rewarding take on second chances and self-discovery…
A world trade fair transforms a young widow and her adolescent son’s life in Keeling’s immersive historical tale. 1893. Junaluska Lewis, a young widow, is content taking care of her aging father-in-law Seymour Lewis and her fourteen-year-old son Henry. But when an opportunity arrives for Henry to explore the Columbian Exposition in Chicago and learn the ropes of the business, Seymour asks Juna to accompany the boy. The mother-son duo arrives in Chicago. As Juna begins to explore the fair, she sees new possibilities for herself. Peterson, their company’s agent and Henry’s mentor, encourages Juna to follow her dreams. Their relationship deepens, but Peterson is not the man he seems on the surface. Keeling imbues her characters with complexity and depth. Through Juna’s story, the book offers insights about societal expectations and the dynamics of gender roles that are as relevant now as they ever were. The alternating first-person narrative between Juna and Henry’s perspective places readers directly in their minds, revealing their hopes, dreams, and turmoil and laying bare the complex questions surrounding second chance, family dynamics, friendship, love, betrayal, pain, adolescent angst, and self-realization. Keeling’s worldbuilding is authentic: her precise descriptions of period dress and culture are evocative of the time and place, and she brings the World Columbian Exposition to life through vivid descriptions, invoking the sights, smells, and tastes of the famed fair. While the ending is a bit rushed, the novel draws a wonderfully rich portrait of late nineteenth century life. This engaging coming of age historical tale is pure pleasure.
Dream City Dreaming
Cindy Angell Keeling
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Petite Parasol Press
Pub date August 8, 2023
ISBN 9798987489017
Price $27.99 (USD) Hardcover, $17.99 Paperback, $9.99 Kindle edition