Review: Snow in July by Heather Barbieri

Snow in July - Heather Barbieri
Paperback 258 Pages
Published by Soho Press, 2005
Bought at Library Book Sale

All of Erin's life, her older sister has eclipsed her, stolen her boyfriends, and commanded the family's attention with one meteoric crisis or another.  Meghan was always smarter, prettier, more daring and dynamic.  As a child, she could charm her way out o any situation, usually leaving Erin to shoulder the lame for their various transgressions.  But Meghan has been gone for years, and now Erin is eager to leave Butte behind her, too: to go east to art school or west to Los Angeles to become a jewelry designer - anywhere, so long as it's far from Butte, Montana.  Then Meghan, a single mother with a six-year-old daughter and an infant, unexpectedly returns, again expecting Erin and their mother to solve her problems.  But this time there are other people involved, no easy solution to those problems, and no one else to blame.

Meghan, still beautiful and magnetic, is now addicted to men, danger and drugs.  She is the worlds "most frequent flier".  Little Teensy and baby Si-Si are lonely and endangered.  Teensy, especially, has been affected by her mother's neglect and she clings to Erin, desperately craving the intimacy and affection that has been denied her.  When Meghan's attempts to stay clean falter, the responsibility for the children becomes Erin's.  But how much can she be expected to sacrifice for her nieces' well-being?  Can she find fulfillment and happiness, even in Butte?
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My Review:

This was a heartbreaking book about a family that suffers through addiction with a loved one.  I'm obsessed with shows like "Intervention" and other addiction documentaries, so this book was right down my alley.  I really liked Erin's character, and often times felt extremely bad for her.  It is hard to have to deal with an addict, let alone have to raise their children for them.  She was able to see through her sister, and was constantly trying to get their mother to understand.

I felt for Erin's sister, Meghan as well, because there were traumatic events in her life that made her think the only way to be happy was through men, drugs, and alcohol.  I just wish that every single person that thought this way could just wake up.  I know that sounds naive, but I can't help it, maybe it is just because that is not how I see things.

I wasn't very surprised by the ending, but I am glad it ended the way that it did.  The storyline flowed well and I really enjoyed the writing style.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone that has ever dealt with an addict, and to those who haven't, as it is an eye-opening experience.

4 out of 5 stars

Happy Reading!