I absolutely loved reading The Women of Oak Ridge
by Michelle Shocklee! This is the
first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her
novels.
The Women of Oak Ridge tells the story of two
women. Maebelle Willett, as a young woman
in 1944, left her small town in Kentucky and went to work in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee to help support her family. The
town was new, the work went on around the clock, the buildings were massive, and
the mission was secret. In 1979, Laurel
Willett, Maebelle’s niece, goes to visit her aunt whom she had not seen in many
years. After learning about the secret
work that went on in Oak Ridge, to develop the atomic bomb, Laurel was
interested in talking to the people that lived and worked there. She wanted to know what their experience was
like and their feelings about the work they did that helped end the war.
Laurel is hopeful her Aunt Maebelle will want to share about
her experiences. But she is surprised to
find her aunt refuses to talk about that time in her life. She has built a good life for herself and is
a part of her community. But talking about
her work during WWII is off-limits.
Thankfully, some of Maebelle’s friends are happy to share about their time
working there and Laurel has access to historical records to help with her research
for her dissertation.
This book was well written.
The storyline and characters were exceptionally well developed. The main characters were very likable, even
when they made unwise choices, it was part of the storyline, not to put the
characters in peril. I liked how the
story came full circle and we got to see how Maebelle finally came to terms
with what she experienced and decisions she made.
As a Christian, I greatly appreciate that the Gospel message
was included in the story. The main
characters were believers. Though one of
them had lived with secrets that imprisoned her with guilt for years, there
came a time for her to confront her sin and repent. Would she have the courage to do that or
would she choose to keep the past hidden?
But at what cost?
The Women of Oak Ridge is a gem. From the storyline, to the characters, and the
history, the story was well written. It
was made even more beautiful by the friendships, caring family relationships, and
faith interwoven into their lives.
One other element I appreciated in this book was how women
were portrayed. Laurel is a doctoral student
and has worked hard to achieve her goal.
But her dad encourages her to be open to what God may have for her life beyond
her career ambitions. That’s a rare
thing in books by Christian authors these days.
Instead of the story being about a tough, self-sufficient, career focus
woman, this was a story about women who want a full life.
I highly recommend The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle
Shocklee. It is an interesting and beautiful
story and well written.
I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley
for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of The Women of Oak
Ridge by Michelle Shocklee.
I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.
