The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster

Starred review from June 15, 2015

Annie Aster loves old clothes and antiques, yet she wouldn't have expected that her life would intersect with the past as it does when she opens her back door to find a portal to another century and her San Francisco garden replaced by a field of Kansas wheat. Beginning a correspondence with her new neighbor launches an adventure that will lead Annie to time travel, a murder mystery, family secrets, adventure, and love. VERDICT The skillful and loving creation of a cast of fascinating characters--Annie, her friend Christian, her tetchy but loyal neighbor Elsbeth, the urchin Cap'n, and more--can't quite compensate for this debut's overstuffed plot, with all its twists and turns. Although the quirky charms are undeniable, readers might be frustrated as the rocketing from genre to genre means that some aspects of the story get short shrift.--MM

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