Book Review: The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

by Tif Sweeney

In 2006, Kim Edwards brought us her stunning debut novel, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, a story filled with family secrets, sadness, yet hope. Her latest novel, The Lake of Dreams (recently released in paperback) delves into a mysterious ancestry, but with a much different twist and depth than before.

Lucy Jarrett is a strong woman that has faced a number of challenges in her life, beginning with the death of her father months before she left for college. She carries the burden of this tragedy, attempting to find redemption in her guilt. When she returns to her hometown after her mother is in a mild accident, she finds documents hidden in a forgotten alcove that sends her on a journey to discover an unknown relative and the story behind her disassociation from the family and its history. However, throughout the story, the one question remains…Will she find the redemption she needs from her father’s death to move on?

Edwards once again brings us an amazing story that keeps the reader turning the pages to find out more. She teases us with a few enigmatic details with graceful style. She creates characters that the reader can easily relate to and desiring for what more is to come for them. And, in The Lake of Dreams, she throws in fascinating historical details, featuring such topics as stained glass works and the women’s suffrage movement, which add more depth and breadth to the story. It all adds up to be the key to another successful novel, leaving this reader eager for the next story to come from the creative mind of Edwards.

In case you missed it, Kim Edwards recently visited the Saint Louis County Library Headquarters and we have the coverage of the event. Be sure to click on over to find out more behind the story, her strategies to writing, and tips for aspiring authors.