Clover Blue by Eldonna Edwards – 352 pages
Finished Copy provided by Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.
Book Blurb:
There are many things twelve-year-old Clover Blue isn’t sure of: his exact date of birth, his name before he was adopted into the Saffron Freedom Community, or who his first parents were. What he does know with certainty is that among this close-knit, nature-loving group, he is happy. Here, everyone is family, regardless of their disparate backgrounds–surfer, midwife, Grateful Dead groupie, Vietnam deserter. But despite his loyalty to the commune and its guru-like founder Goji, Blue grapples with invisible ties toward another family–the one he doesn’t remember. With the urging of his fearless and funny best friend, Harmony, Clover Blue begins to ask questions. For the first time, Goji’s answers fail to satisfy. The passing months bring upheaval to their little clan and another member arrives, a beautiful runaway teen named Rain, sparking new tensions. As secrets slowly unfurl, Blue’s beliefs–about Goji, the guidelines that govern their seemingly idyllic lives, and the nature of family itself–begin to shift. With each revelation about a heartbreaking past he never imagined, Blue faces a choice between those he’s always trusted, and an uncertain future where he must risk everything in his quest for the truth.
My Review: 4 stars
Clover Blue was a book I found on the Tell Me What You’re Reading Tuesday board on my Facebook page. Not only did the name intrigue me, but I also hadn’t read any books by this author. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a gamble. Fortunately, my gamble paid off!
Edwards is a great storyteller and this one pulled at the heartstrings. The book starts with a birth in which all members of the commune are in the same room. Clover, a young boy, and his best friend Harmony, a young girl, are asked to watch and help if need be. Okay, that totally grabbed me. Ew, I just had to keep reading to understand why everyone watched, especially young ones. This scene unleashes something in Clover, as he has no idea who his mother is and wonders who he came out of.
That simple question leads him to ask the most honest and understandable questions, which of course, get him nowhere. Here’s where the story develops as we learn so much about the commune members, all trying to escape something or fill what’s missing from their life. Relationships, lies, and secrets are suddenly about to implode on their peace, love and drugs lifestyle.
Many aspects of this book were thought provoking for me as I wondered what if were brought up in a commune, where no judgement was cast, no stones thrown, just rituals and commitment to one another. Then I questioned why they trusted one another, who vetted the newbies, how did the leader become the leader, etc.
This is a quick read about something I haven’t read much about in fiction. I’m glad I experienced this author’s voice and I look forward to reading her first book, This I Know, which was beloved by many and put Edwards on the map.
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