The Stars Are Fire

This is a story of survival. In the immediate sense, Grace saves herself and her children from a fire that courses through her small seacoast town in Maine. On another level, her husband Gene, goes missing after being called to help the town build a fire wall and Grace is left with no money, no home and two children. As the story builds, a beautiful strong women emerges from the ashes. It's even more interesting when you realize it's based on actual events. It's a fictionalized account of the October 1947 fire that ripped though Maine and burned for two weeks, destroying over 1000 homes. Grace is resilient and intelligent, making hard choices in the aftermath and overcoming many obstacles to take care of her family. I loved how she rose to the challenge and became stronger because of it. However, I think it was the author's delightful writing style that made the strongest impression and left me wanting more.