Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Tonight, for fun, I listened to James Cordon and Alanis Morrisette sing an updated version of “Ironic,” and I was amused…until I happened to glance at the description and note that the original came out in 1995.  Now I’m trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the ironically named “Ironic” is officially 24 years old, and what does that say about me?  Thankfully, tonight I’m reviewing Sandra Dallas’ Alice’s Tulips, which is set during the Civil War.  Now THAT’S a long time ago, right?  Who cares about a quarter century (more or less)?

Seriously, though.  TWENTY-FOUR YEARS.

Anyway.

I bought Alice’s Tulips on a whim, because it was insanely cheap and I knew that one of my favorite aunts had read and enjoyed something else by its author.  It’s been sitting on my shelf ever since, because interesting-looking or not, I rarely read anything that takes place during the Civil War.  I love history, but that’s a time period I generally avoid like the plague (sorry, Mr. Bennett!) because it depresses me.  Thankfully, Dallas’ novel concentrates on the growth of its protagonist and the relationships among the women at home, and Alice’s sense of humor makes it a good read all the way through.  She seems shallow at first, with a two-dimensional husband and a dour mother-in-law, but all of the characters grow on you as time passes, which is pretty much always a good thing for me.  (As a rule, I don’t understand the appeal of books consisting entirely of unlikable characters.  There are exceptions, I suppose–but not many.)  The entire book consists of letters to Alice’s sister–whose story we also experience, through Alice’s eyes–and if you cross Rilla of Ingleside with “Fried Green Tomatoes” (the movie, because I know it better) and set it in Iowa during the Civil War, you’ve pretty much got Alice’s Tulips.  This is worth a read, folks, even if you’re unsure about it being your thing.  Try it, and let me know what you think!