All Manner of Things

Finkbeiner (A Cup of Dust) explores the ravages of war and the power of reconciliation in her satisfying latest. In a small, fictional Michigan town, 18-year-old Annie Jacobson is about to have her family torn apart by war for the second time. Annie’s father, who abandoned the family when Annie was only six, has been unable to conquer the demons that followed him home from Korea. Mike, Annie’s brother, enlists in the Army as a medic and is sent to Vietnam. In a departing note to Annie, Mike reveals Frank’s address and instructs her to contact Frank if something should happen to him. But when Frank returns for his father’s funeral, the family must confront past hurts and form new bonds as Mike’s experience in Vietnam becomes increasingly dire. Finkbeiner’s characters believably navigate the emotional upheaval of war, and she skillfully depicts how the Jacobsons slowly open up to one another, emerging with greater strength, faith, and mutual respect. This stirring tale will appeal to fans of Jody Hedlund. (June)