Dream Country

In Dream Country, Luanne Rice describes the reverberations that tragedy can have on a family. Before Daisy and James Tucker lost their 3-year-old son, Jake, in the mountains of Wyoming, they thought nothing could shake their marriage. Daisy had moved west looking for adventure and discovered a man and a landscape that nourished the deepest parts of her soul. With James and their twins, Jake and Sage, Daisy found courage and inspiration for her artwork. Soon after Jake disappeared, Daisy returned to Connecticut with Sage, determined to live a life of comforting reserve. Thirteen years later, a pregnant and isolated Sage feels Wyoming calling. After arguing with Daisy, she embarks on a cross-country trip to discover her father and her family's past.

Rice has a talent for describing people's complex and conflicting emotions. As Sage travels across the country, her love for her unborn child grows, while her first love unravels. Tragedy both unites and separates Daisy and James, and age and infirmity begin to eat away at the love of James's father and his girlfriend. Though the underlying premise feels a bit contrived, Rice's realistic dialogue and exquisite descriptions are completely convincing. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien