Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

November 29, 2007
Book suggested by Pat S., and meeting hosted by Pat D.

This book had a wide range of scores by our readers. Some of us liked the book a great deal, but one member disliked it so much that she couldn't even get through the book! Because the nostalgia of the 50's was a recurring theme, many of those members that lived during that period enjoyed the book much more than those that didn't.

Most of us thought the book was very believable, and agreed that the perspective of the 10-year-old story-teller was very age-appropriate. We thought that the setting as described in the book was very true to the times and period that was presented. We also liked the very descriptive writing style of the author.

We were kept in suspense as to who the killer was, and none of us guessed the truth about Rasmussen. We felt sorry for the two little girls who were left to fend for themselves, but discussed the idea that, unlike today, life was not centered around children, so maybe this situation was not so unusual for the times. We were saddened by the fact that the girls were so uninformed about their mother's health, and didn't even have a chance to visit her in the hospital, but some of us remembered that hospital visiting hours were very restrictive in those days, and children were not permitted. We felt sorry for Sally because of the burden she had to bear in keeping secrets and looking out for Troo and others. She certainly had a very generous spirit, and shared the few accolades that she received.

One negative was that there were so many characters in the book, that it was difficult to remember them all. As the many characters were introduced, we weren't sure which characters would be significant to the story, and it was difficult to keep them all straight in our minds.

Some of us loved the picture on the front cover of the book, but at least one of us did not like it because it is yet another portrayal of neglected children that we've read about over and over. Some of us are getting weary of reading books where children suffer neglect or abuse.

Overall, this book was well-received by most, but not by all. Those who remembered oleo, tissue flowers, Ovaltine, and some of the slang that was used, embraced the walk down memory lane. Others enjoyed reading a 10-year-old's perspective on the events of that summer.

Leslie Kagen's website: http://www.lesleykagen.com/