Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Bookworm9

After her loving adoptive parents die, thirteen-year-old Eva travels to Denver to meet the mother who gave her up as an infant. What she finds is unexpected, as both her mother (Sadie) and older sister (Pearl) are white, and are working at a house on Holladay Street-- Pearl as a dancer, and Sadie as a prostitute. Eva, too, is expected to become a dancer if she wants to stay, but she draws the line when she and Pearl are asked to go "upstairs." Eva leaves, hoping to find a safe haven for herself, and perhaps her family too. But in the end, she's right back where she started-- until she has an idea...

This is a well-plotted problem novel with a likable protagonist and an interesting old west setting. My main problem with it was that it didn't take these assets further. The unique relationship between Eva and Sadie is never explored, and the happily-ever-after ending comes, if not too easily, than at least too quickly. This could have been a great novel if Carbone had chosen to dig deeper into her characters; as it is, it's a decent but formulaic read with little substance.