Tigers in Mild Weather

Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann

This deliciously named novel along with its eye catching cover has been on my to read list for a while. It’s getting a lot of hype at the moment so I thought I should finally make the effort to read it.

The story is told from the perspective of five characters – two cousins, their two children and one husband. Their narratives move back and forth in time, from WW2 to the 1960s. The one downside of reading it on a Kindle is that it isn’t so easy to flick back to compare timelines. The bulk of the story takes place at the family home, Tiger House, and the key scenes occur in the middle of a long sultry summer. For the most part it is a novel about relationships but there is an odd twist in the mood at the end which makes you wonder what sort of novel you have actually been reading!

I honestly cannot decide if I like or dislike the change in the story or not. This ambivalence I feel sort of summarises my feelings for the novel. It was an interesting read and I certainly enjoyed it but I just didn’t feel strongly about anything in the novel. I didn’t particularly like or dislike any of the characters which makes it hard to become fully involved in their lives. The author has written a well structured novel but much to my disappointment it failed to leave a strong enough impression.

Tigers in Red Weather: 4 stars

The are a few novels about women in early to mid 20th century USA being published at the moment. They all have rather glamorous covers which is no doubt part of the reason I am drawn to them!

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton Disclafani (published 6 June 2013). I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this from Tinder Press. It is actually set in WW1 but for some reason the style reminds me of Tigers in Red Weather. It is a coming of age novel within the confines of Southern decorum and social conventions. A little bit slow to reflect the pace of things in the South, it is a good read that will probably be a hit in the summer. 4 Stars.

Palisades Park by Alan Brennert (published 9 April 2013). Not surprisingly, this cover really caught my eye.

Gossip by Beth Gutcheon. I have downloaded this on to my Kindle.

The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell (published 9 May 2013).

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