No One Ever Asked

Starred review from February 12, 2018
Ganshert (Life After) probes questions of class, race, and faith in this riveting novel of a forced school merger. The small, affluent Missouri school district of Crystal Ridge has been ordered by the state to accept students from a poor neighboring district that lost its accreditation. The merging of these racially, economically, and socially different schools brings together three women representative of the communities: Camille, PTA member and involved mother, who organizes the annual 5K run; struggling adoptive mom Jen who would rather go back to being a full-time nurse; and Anaya, the young first-time teacher at the school trying to bridge the divide between the
old and new students. Each woman faces personal and professional shocks as the rocky school year begins and the two separate student bodies fail to get along. Faith plays a subtle but vital role in how the characters react to events and engage with one another during the tumultuous school year that culminates in dramatic fashion. After a shocking moment of violence at the 5K run, each woman is forced to look at herself honestly and search for the power to heal and forgive. Ganshert’s smart use of flashback creates tension from the beginning. Her nuanced exploration of racial issues, generational bigotry, and sexual harassment bring to life complex characters who challenge each other and the reader to open their minds and consider the value of truth and grace.

March 15, 2018

When a school district in an impoverished Missouri community loses its accreditation, its students are transferred to wealthy Crystal Ridge, much to the dismay of its white residents. Over the course of the tumultuous school year, three women are forced to confront their own issues and prejudices and seek grace and forgiveness. PTA chair Camille Gray's marriage is in trouble and her children are failing to meet her expectations. Single mom Jen Covington is attempting to assimilate into the Crystal Ridge community with her adopted Liberian-born daughter who has behavioral issues. Anaya Jones, the first woman in her family to graduate from college and a new teacher at the elementary school, believes she can make a difference but is unprepared for the tense situation and the actions she takes. VERDICT Ganshert's (Life After) emotionally charged and powerful novel will have readers examining their own personal biases. Recommended for book groups looking for a story with loads of discussion potential. [Previewed in Julia Reffner's "A Delicate Balance," LJ 11/15/17.]

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