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Adam Arnring, the eldest illegitimate son of a German immigrant, aspires for more than the one small store his father has put all his life into creating and developing. In the year 1907, at the young age of nineteen, armed with nothing more than a keen ambition and a few dollars he leaves his family behind as he heads west to make his own mark in the world. He arrives at the small but prosperous town of Chattahoochee where in no time, he takes charge of a failing clothing store and transforms in into the most sought-after place in the entire region.
He also meets and is attracted to the storeowner Mrs. Rothirsch’s niece, the beautiful, untouchable Emma. Although the disparity in their social status is vast, the spark between them is undeniable. Will anything come of their forbidden romance? Before things can be resolved, World War one breaks out and suddenly Adam finds his life altered and his family torn apart by distressing events in another continent. Tragedy, romance, heartbreak, death – Adam experiences it all and over the time, he himself changes in so many ways. The question is: how will all this end?
Belva Plain’s new novel is centers around the life of one man, Adam Arnring and his family. Through his rise and fall, his triumphs and his failures and seen through his eyes, readers are treated to a kaleidoscope of America itself over four generations as it changes, develops and yet somewhat remains the same in essence. With well-researched period details and an awesome sense of history, romance and drama, this sweeping saga is guaranteed to enthrall readers and make them feel they are actually there experiencing it all along with Adam. The engrossing story more than makes up for the disconnected, unannounced and jarring leaps in time and years the story takes periodically as it progresses. Although the marvelous story might have been explored a bit more and the characters could have been more in-depth, the story as it currently stands is splendid enough.
Reviewed by Rashmi Srinivas
for The Road to Romance
March 4, 2005
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