The Smell of Other People's Houses

by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

[shannonmiz]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
I was intrigued from the start, because Alaska. Also, it wasn't present-day Alaska. It was Alaska in 1970, and I had no idea what that would be like. So, curiosity had me hooked, and then the book definitely delivered. The story is told through four young people who lived in this setting, and while at first it seems they have nothing in common, their lives being to intersect.

I learned quite a lot about Alaska and the time period in this book. First, Alaska is just a world unto itself. I suppose being so isolated and having a completely different climate than the rest of the country will do that. Plus, at the time the book is set, they've only been a state for eleven years- and not all the residents are happy about their statehood. Also, I learned that I would be everyone's least favorite neighbor.

Life is not easy in Alaska, especially for our characters. Some have it easier than others, but really no one's life is unicorns and rainbows. There's rampant poverty, which leads to absent parents, ill-equipped parents, clueless parents, abusive parent, sand yes, some really amazing parents. That's one of the things I loved most about this book. It's not generalized, there's a clear indication that a person's circumstances don't have to define them.

I loved the characters, too. Even though we don't get to know them all in huge depth and detail, their development is clear. And as the story progresses, it becomes incredibly apparent that people are not always what they seem. I judged some characters, and actually reprimanded myself later for doing so- because you never, ever know what someone else is going through. Such a huge and important life lesson contained in this lovely story.

The write was positively exquisite. Ms. Hitchcock had me captivated from the first chapter, and never let go. The story was told in a delightful manner that had me not wanting to put the book down.

One part that didn't wholly work for me was that even though there were four points of view, there were a lot of characters. Because each main character's life had within it a whole set of side characters, of course. And when those side characters would inevitably intersect with other side characters... well, I would get a little lost. There was an awesome chart in the beginning that kind of explained it, and if I'd been reading a physical copy it would have been pretty easy to switch back and forth, but not so much on my Kindle.

Bottom Line: I fell in love with the characters, the setting, and the writing, and never wanted to leave.

**Copy provided by publisher for review