Golden State

February 1, 2014
On the day Californians cast a groundbreaking vote, a doctor is confronted with situations that compel her to contemplate her past, present and future in Richmond's (The Year of Fog, 2007, etc.) contemporary novel. Dr. Julie Merrill's having a bad day, and it's a real doozy. The document officially ending her marriage to husband Tom has just been signed, her pregnant sister, Heather, has gone into labor across town, her Jeep's been vandalized while Californians swarm to the polls to vote on secession, and she's injured her foot. To top it off, a veteran suffering from PTSD--whom she once considered a friend and confidant but who then turned into a frightening stalker--has resurfaced, and he's now holding some of her fellow workers hostage at the VA hospital. The story takes place during the course of one day and teeters back and forth between past and present as Julie hobbles to Heather's side at the VA hotel, tries to maintain a phone conversation with the gunman to keep him from harming people, and reflects upon her humble beginnings and broken marriage. At the core of Julie's life is an event that's caused years of estrangement between the sisters, destroying Julie's solid marriage and triggering Heather's enlistment in the Army and deployment to Afghanistan. But when Heather shows up pregnant and asks for help, Julie can't deny the bond that exists between them. Richmond creates an exciting premise and uses an unusual approach to develop the plot. Rather than a narrative that reflects a sense of urgency and tension produced by the hostage-taking and secession scenarios, Julie's past and her relationship with the other characters are scrutinized as the clock ticks. It's an interesting and sometimes-disturbing study exploring how a person's anticipated path can change and examining the choices people must make in order to move forward. Skillfully written.

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Starred review from November 1, 2013

Remembering a quote from Richmond's protagonist is probably the best way to approach her intricate, unusual story. Julie Merrill must focus and "recalibrate her world." And so must the reader of this amazing, turbulent novel woven of disparate threads. The narrative unfolds with Julie, a doctor at the VA hospital in San Francisco. Her marriage has recently dissolved; her erratic younger sister appears, demanding Julie deliver the sister's baby; and a hostage situation develops, involving those close to Julie. While these issues form a rich domestic drama, there is an additional wrinkle: Californians are voting on this particular day to determine whether the state will secede from the United States. Because of the demonstrations and chaos in the streets, Julie must navigate with difficulty her way to the hospital. As she attempts her journey, she recalls her earlier life during which she managed to escape the narrow confines of her youth in rural Mississippi. VERDICT Nearly every feature of this mesmerizing novel is provocative, as Richmond explores the fragmented, hopeful lives of complex characters. This is gripping, multilayered must-read fiction from the best-selling author of The Year of Fog (which was an LJ Best Book of 2007).--Andrea Tarr, Corona P.L., CA

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2013
Mesmerizing and intricate, Richmond's dissection of a California on the violent brink of secession from the nation provides the backdrop to her deeper inspection of the uneasy, fragile relationship between siblings. Julie and Heather grew up in the South on a diet of hush puppies and evangelical fire in church. Julie fled her roots for medical school in San Francisco, leaving behind her sister at the same time. Along the way, she acquired a husband, a child, and a degree. But when she wasn't looking, everything reordered itself, and Julie's life jumped onto a roller coaster without her permission. On the eve of the vote over seceding, Heather is about to give birth, and Julie must cross volatile territory in order to help her. Estranged for four years, the sisters also must navigate personal histories and intersections like land mines. Complicating matters further, an emotionally unstable man is holding people at Julie's hospital hostage to get her attention. All these seemingly random situations are tied together during a single day with breathtaking grace by Richmond in an understated yet riveting read that can be recommended to fans of Jodi Picoult and Jacquelyn Mitchard.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)