Miami Memories

It's difficult to believe that this is author Susanna Daniel's first book. She writes about a marriage spanning 30 years, and I had to keep looking at the author's photo on the book jacket to see if she was old enough to KNOW all this about long-term relationships! She looks too young for those experiences, but somehow she gets it, and she writes about it beautifully. Frances, the main character, travels to Miami, Florida, to a wedding, and meets two people who will become essential to her life: Marse, who becomes her closest friend, and Dennis, who becomes her husband and partner for life. The book doesn't really have much of a plot, other than tracking Frances's life as a wife and mother. I can't stress enough, though, how sensitive and eloquent the author is as she unravels the story of Frances. I truly felt that I knew and loved Frances, and felt her joys and disappointments. South Florida plays a big part in the book also, so much so that I would consider it another character in the book. The title, Stiltsville, refers to a small community of houses built on stilts out in Biscayne Bay. Dennis's parents own one of these houses, and eventually give it to Dennis and Frances. Some of their fondest memories take place there, and Frances grows to love Florida as her adopted home. I have a new appreciation for that part of the country, especially as it was 30 years ago. If you like character-driven books with depth and sincerity, pick up Stiltsville. It won't disappoint you.