Emerald City Blues, a Review by Susan

🥾🥾🥾1/2

Emerald City Blues

H. Lee Barnes

387 Pages

University of Nevada Press

Goodreads/Amazon/Bookshop.org

This was an interesting work of historical fiction if, for no other reason, the author, H.E. Barnes, is not a new author but his other works suggest that this is a different direction.  Moreover, in many ways this seems like a book written by a woman but from the name and some minimal research, I cannot establish gender.  The perspective is first person and the main character is female.  Of course, men have written fiction from female perspectives and vice versa but I have usually found that more often than not, perspectives match.

            Emerald City Blues is a work of historical fiction, taking place during World War II but on the home front, in California.  It is written in a single timeline, which is refreshing for a change.  The book was a slow burn, meaning that it was a little slow to begin with and for a while but at some point, the pace picked up and was more engaging. The main character, who works in a boot production factory, must adjust to life on her own, having relocated.  She finds herself becoming involved with a young Black man and problems ensue.  The novel did maintain my attention but there were a few things that did not feel right about it.  At the beginning, it seemed like everyone was so nice to her and to each other and this did not quite ring true.  Nonetheless, I went with it.  The other thing that was more problematic for me was that the protagonist seemed like a naïve and innocent woman not like someone who wanted to break out of her mold or rut such that she would begin to hang around with a Black man (in the early 1940s) who had some criminal issues.  Even if these things were not necessarily his fault, this relationship did not seem consistent with her personality.

Nonetheless, it was a good solid read and it may be an early effort in a new genre for this author.  I would certainly be willing to read the next novel H.E. Barnes writes.  Thanks to The Library Thing and University of Nevada Publishing for providing me with this copy of this book.  Opinions expressed herein are all my own. 3 ½ stars.