A Good Animal by Sara Maurer

About the Book:

In the farm country outside Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan―a border town where life moves slow and dreams run fast―most kids want out. Not Everett Lindt. He’s set on staying put, rebuilding his family’s sheep farm, and carving a future from the land he loves.

Then he meets Mary, a new girl in town with restless energy and bigger plans. When their relationship reaches a crossroads, Everett sees a life together. Mary, however, is desperate to find a way out. Together, they make an impulsive choice―one that could change everything.

Tense, lyrical, and deeply felt, Sara Maurer's unforgettable debut breathtakingly captures the ache of first love, the beauty and brutality of rural life, and how one decision can echo through generations and shape who we become.

My Review:

This is a touching and well written first love and coming of age story revolving around farm life and raising sheep. There is a good exploration of remaining on the farm as opposed to getting a college education. There are good descriptions of farming experiences and the Upper Peninsula. I felt the story ended a little soon and would have liked more of it in the end. It is a good novel for readers who like one concentrating on characters and the decisions they make. It is a novel to savor and a good debut effort.

My rating: 4/5 stars. 

About the Author:

Sara Maurer lives with her family in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She earned her bachelor's degree from Albion College and her master's from Eastern Michigan University. She honed her creative writing craft while completing Stanford's Continuing Studies Novel Writing Certificate program. Her short fiction can be found in Dunes Review, Hominum Journal, and The Twin Bill. A Good Animal is her first novel. Photo Credit: Libbey Ann Studios.

St. Martin's Press, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)