Book Review: Salad Days by Allie Cresswell

 

Thank you to Allie Cressell for sending me a complimentary copy of her book for my review. This is the second book by this author that I have read.

The Details:

Salad Days by Allie Cresswell

Published: June 10, 2024

Publisher: Allie Creswell

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Women’s Literary Fiction

Pages: 291

Available: ebook, paperback

Violence: none

Sex: none

 

The Short Story: Engaging, poignant, a beautiful story

 

My Review: Salad Days is the story of two neighboring families and how their lives intertwine, for better or worse. The story is told from the perspective of Prue, whose extended family runs Salad Days, a produce farm in England. Prue is not speaking to us, the reader, she’s retelling her story to Arthur, son of the down on their heels, Lords of the Manor. She starts with her earliest memory and it’s of Arthur. Prue tells her story from her child’s perspective, what she saw, thought, believed to be true at that moment in time, even if she now knows differently.

The story is beautifully told and wonderfully descriptive. I loved the summer adventures and escapades of childhood, exploring, rambling, days at the beach, imaginative play. I felt I was right there alongside Prue and Arthur. It’s a simpler time, we think, the 1960s, but like all families there is drama, intrigue, grief. The magical days of our youth often blind us to the complicated lives of the surrounding adults, and Prue is unaware or misinterprets what is happening to her family. As Prue and Arthur age, their relationship changes from childhood enemies, budding friends, to besties, growing ever more complicated.

This is a story that will tug at your heartstrings, surprise you with its ending, and have you thinking about it long after you’ve finished.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of a great story.