| Leota is 84, lonely and frail. She has a daughter and a son who don't even call her. When her husband was stationed in Germany during WWII, Leota was forced to move in with his parents, and her mother-in-law had deeply ingrained it into Leota's children's heads that their mother was selfish and didn't care for them. Anything Leota did was wrong. She worked six days a week to support the kids, but that was interpreted as thinking only about her career. She had a garden she loved to tend, which, once again, was viewed as a selfish pleasure, as time spent on herself rather than devoted to the kids. So the children, Nora and George, grew up believing that their mother was no good and didn't love them. Now they repay her by rarely seeing her.
Nora has two children of her own, Annie and Michael. From the start, she was determined to be the opposite of Leota, to be a “good mother” to them. That, to her, means being heavily involved in anything they do, controlling their every step, making choices for them – in other words, totally domineering their life. The slightest rebellion is viewed as horrible ingratitude. And, of course, the children are not allowed to spend time with Leota, their “bad,” uncaring grandma. One day Annie rebels. She loves to draw and wants to become an artist, but Nora has chosen a different path for her. Tired of having her mother run her life, Annie packs her things and, instead of going to the prestigious college Nora enrolled her in, drives off to San Francisco where she intends to take art courses. After this first step towards freedom and self-establishment, Annie begins to wonder about Leota, her Grandma she had never gotten to know. Annie decides to meet Leota and see for herself what she is like. | ||
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Plot & Themes Time/era of story - 1980's-1999 Kids growing up/acting up? Yes Family, loving relations Yes Special relationship with - grandma Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Age group of kid(s) in story: - high school Parents/lack of parents problem? Main Character Gender - Female Main Adversary Identity: - none Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 () United States Yes |
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