The Rock Island Line by Michelle Dobbs follows Lilly Moore and her life in a small town. The town is very small and is the first link along a railroad line that connects the Wild West to Chicago and then eventually all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Lilly tells the tale of her family, a story that is a historically rooted African American saga, and goes into great detail about her life in the town of Rock Island, Illinois and the impact that the rail has on her personally and on five generations of her family. Lilly and her family share the unique responsibilities to keep the family legacy alive and she goes to great lengths to help her family do so.
I really enjoyed reading The Rock Island. I felt transported to the little town almost instantly and I loved how personal Michelle was with her characters and their lives. Throughout the story, Lilly deals with many trials and tribulations and I really enjoyed watching her grow as a character. Often times, she is overwhelmed by what her city brings forth and it is really interesting watching her come to terms with it all and eventually find piece within herself. Overall, this story is fairly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a well written story with thought provoking dialogue. I also loved going back into time and watching things take place between five generations. A really wonderful read. Plus, who doesn’t love chicken and dumplings? 🙂
[Rating: 4.5/5]
