Scattergood
Written by H.M. Bouwman
“Scattergood truly shines, because on some level it investigates not only whether we can survive great loss, but also how. . . . Isn’t that precisely what happens in moments of tragedy? We falter in ways we couldn’t have anticipated, and emotions spiral beyond our control.
What is the proper response to a child’s pain at a time when she is growing into herself, seeking both care and independence?. . . Scattergood is a brave, beautiful book, wise enough to reach for something beyond certainty.”
—The New York Times
★ "Bouwman paints a rich, detailed landscape, from mundane farm chores to deeply layered explorations of characters and relationships. Peggy’s astute and observant first-person narrative captures her personal journey as she struggles with self-awareness, stages of grief, and her changing perspective as she’s exposed to the greater complexities of the world. Equal parts tender and heartwarming and tragically heartbreaking, this story, which will appeal to fans of Lauren Wolk, also offers a realistic depiction of marriage, showing compromises, challenges, and the different ways people care for and love each other. Readers will become deeply invested in the fully developed characters—each flawed and human but doing their best, Peggy included. The power of stories to connect people with others, bear witness, and create joy is an interwoven theme running throughout the text.
An engaging, textured, and deeply humane coming-of-age novel."
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"Set in a small Iowa farming community and beginning in June 1941, the novel delves into Peggy’s attempts to pursue those goals while pondering life’s unfairness, including why science can’t give her the answers she needs to help Delia. Especially strong are the depictions of daily farm routines, from the milking of grateful cows to collecting eggs from begrudging chickens. Equally effective is Peggy’s somewhat naive but thoughtful, determined voice as she tries to process Delia’s diagnosis (“Up to six months. Was that how long Delia was going to be sick? Or worse...”) and befriends a gruff Dutch-Jewish professor at Scattergood, who teaches her to play chess while recounting frightening tales from the Old Testament. A steady narrative pace and a variety of secondary characters who inspire questions in Peggy solidify the book’s overall appeal.”
—Publishers Weekly