Book Review: Strings Attached

Strings Attached 

By: Judy Blundell

Published By: Scholastic Press

Release Date: March 2011

Buy it at Amazon

Source: Library

Audience: Young Adult

I was so excited when I stumbled upon this book at the library the other day. Historical fiction has always been a genre I love and I had noir on the brain after watching my husband play L.A. Noire on the XBox. I have to admit that crime dramas have never really been my thing, but this book might just change that. Judy Blundell did an amazing job of crafting a crime story complete with 1950's mobsters, family secrets, and romance. 

Kit Corrigan, is the last born out of the famous Corrigan three, a set of triplets, from Providence, Rhode Island. Kit never has a moment alone from the time she enters the world, but that's okay by her. Being poor isn't so bad when you have a large Irish family around for company. One day Kit will get out from the poverty holding her down in Providence and she'll be a star. She knows that she'll dance and act on Broadway someday. As Kit ages, she falls in love with the headstrong and temperamental Billy Bennedict, the son of a local lawyer who has strong mob ties. Can Kit and Billy's love survive the mob?

Judy Blundell is one of the best literary talents in historical fiction that I have seen in quite some time. Her research is flawless and her characters are ring true. Every laugh and tear Kit had I felt deeply as well. There were moments during this book that I was so anxious because I didn't know how things were going to work out. I must admit that some of the events in the book upset me; quite a few tears were shed. This book made me think about what it would be like to be involved in the politics and violence that surrounded the mob during this time period. 

I also really enjoyed watching the dark secrets that had been buried in the past ooze to the surface. The plot kept me guessing and my heart racing. There were so many delicious twists within the novel. Choices - even those that seem minor at the time - can have deadly impacts on our lives and the lives of those we love. I can't wait to get my hands on Blundell's other book, What I Saw and How I Lied.

One Last Gripe: I loved that the story went back and forth between past and present. However, sometimes it was slightly confusing and I had to remind myself of which era I was in during that moment.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: Leaning more about an era that I don't know much about

First Sentence: The second act curtain was one chorus away when I spotted him.

Favorite Character: Kit

Least Favorite Character: Angela

Summary:

From National Book Award winner Judy Blundell, the tale of a sixteen-year-old girl caught in a mix of love, mystery, Broadway glamour, and Mob retribution in 1950 New York.

When Kit Corrigan arrives in New York City, she doesn't have much. She's fled from her family in Providence, Rhode Island, and she's broken off her tempestuous relationship with a boy named Billy, who's enlisted in the army.

The city doesn't exactly welcome her with open arms. She gets a bit part as a chorus girl in a Broadway show, but she knows that's not going to last very long. She needs help--and then it comes, from an unexpected source.

Nate Benedict is Billy's father. He's also a lawyer involved in the mob. He makes Kit a deal--he'll give her an apartment and introduce her to a new crowd. All she has to do is keep him informed about Billy . . . and maybe do him a favor every now and then.