Review: Idaho by Emily Ruskovich

Idaho by Emily Ruskovich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, this book! It is not for everyone – if you need a book that is clear and easy to understand, that has no nuance and wraps everything up nicely, this one won't work for you. This is a complex narrative that shines a light on so many amazing things about identity, memory, and forgiveness. It’s a beautifully written novel that just blew me away … the prose is haunting and achingly beautiful. The story itself isn’t told in a linear fashion – it’s almost told in fragments of memory that the reader has to piece together for the narrative. The time frame is from the 1970s until 2025 and yet it’s told in bits and pieces. Pulling it all together is challenging but so worth it. The book answers very little. It asks question after question but gives no definitive answers. But, it’s so beautifully told and the voices are just haunting. It’s a book that I won’t soon forget. It’s stayed with me. The language, the characters, the story … all of it seems to almost be following me around!