If you've not watched the two seasons (or series) of the excellent Home Fires television show, you should absolutely do that before reading this novel. That's the best way to get a clear and compelling sense of who these characters are and the significance of their stories.

Moreover, prior interest in the characters and all of the pressing, unfinished business from the show might help you forgive some of the weaknesses in the novel's style. The author's strength is in screenwriting, I'm sure, while in the novel, there's a good amount of stating the obvious and overexplaining. Redundancy. An excessive use of italics. Constant head-hopping: jarring switches in points of view between the characters.

Also, as the book was first released gradually, in four separate parts, it doesn't exactly flow like one, seamless novel. Each new part makes a point to refresh the reader's memory in some way about the part before--which isn't necessary when all the parts are together.

Nevertheless, because I'd come to care so much about the television show, I quite enjoyed finally getting the chance to find out more. Granted, I'm disappointed in some of the characters' choices here. And one character's reversal in growth is inconsistent with the breakthrough she has right as the television show ends. It's as if she's been unnaturally stunted and shoved right back into the same dilemma for yet another "season." That dilemma gets old.

However, the overall story does take some fresh turns, tackle some new, universal questions, and build up some intrigue for what's to follow. The book isn't a standalone, concludes with all loose ends, which is something I don't relish at all with novels. But it wasn't unexpected for me in this case, since, again, I was already used to the television show and its use of cliffhangers.

All things considered, I'm looking forward to the release of the next novel. ( )

Case 15 shelf 2