The Sisters of Summit Avenue by Lynn Cullen

From Lynn Cullen, the bestselling author of Mrs. Poe and Twain’s End, comes a powerful novel set in the Midwest during the Great Depression, about two sisters bound together by love, duty, and pain.

Ruth has been single-handedly raising four young daughters and running her family’s Indiana farm for eight long years, ever since her husband, John, fell into a comatose state, infected by the infamous “sleeping sickness” devastating families across the country. If only she could trade places with her older sister, June, who is the envy of everyone she meets: blonde and beautiful, married to a wealthy doctor, living in a mansion in St. Paul. And June has a coveted job, too, as one of “the Bettys,” the perky recipe developers who populate General Mills’ famous Betty Crocker test kitchens. But these gilded trappings hide sorrows: she has borne no children. And the man she used to love more than anything belongs to Ruth.

When the two sisters reluctantly reunite after a long estrangement, June’s bitterness about her sister’s betrayal sets into motion a confrontation that’s been years in the making. And their mother, Dorothy, who’s brought the two of them together, has her own dark secrets, which might blow up the fragile peace she hopes to restore between her daughters.

An emotional journey of redemption, inner strength, and the ties that bind families together, for better or worse, The Sisters of Summit Avenue is a heartfelt love letter to mothers, daughters, and sisters everywhere.


I'm not going to go into the plot too much since everything you need to know is in the description. This was a stunning work of historical fiction and not just because it was set during my favorite time period. The writing is so evocative without being overly emotional or turning into a sob story. What you do need to know in case you aren't already aware is that the "sleeping sickness" was a real epidemic in those days and it truly did sicken people all over the world. No cause has ever been found. Encephalitis Lethargic was the medical term for this illness that remains a mystery to this day. I believe that at least half of the people who contracted it died. I don't want to give the impression that this story is only about illness. Marriage, and playing the hand you've been dealt in life are huge elements of this book. The bigger picture is about the two sisters, and their love for each other above all petty resentments, and their relationship with their mother "Odd Dorothy" as she had been known in the town where they grew up. Dorothy and her husband Bud "Rowdy Dowdy" are significant characters as well even if they mostly shine from the background.
I loved this book!
5 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review

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