Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Julie M Prince

A poignant coming-of-age story, THE YEAR OF THE SAWDUST MAN chronicles a year in the life of Nissa Bergen. Her impulsive mother has just run off, leaving Nissa and her father behind in the wake of small town gossip.


A fairly quiet and reflective book, I found it to be insightful and realistic. Flashbacks focused on Nissas unique and fun relationship with her missing mother, while the eleven-year-old also dealt with the current problem of watching her father move on with another woman.


One thing I found particularly compelling was the way Nissas feelings about her mother wavered uncertainly. One day Nissa would think of her with adoration and complete loyalty, ready to fight whomever spoke a bad word. The next day, shed remember her mothers flightiness and instability and be appropriately angry at her abandonment. This felt very believable and understandably confused.


Milkweed Editions has sparked my interest lately, as I make my way through books that have waited far too long on my shelves for their due attention. I look forward to unburying more treasures like this one from my to be read stack.


Off to Turn Another Page&.