Category: Book Critic

If you have poured yourself a bowl of cereal in the last 100 or so years, odds are it was a Post brand cereal! I think most of us are familiar with some uber wealthy names like Vanderbilt, Hearst, Kennedy, and Rockefeller. The name Post doesn’t necessarily ring any bells for me. It sounds like a common name with little attached to it to distinguish itself.

When this book came across my desk for review, I basically thought the cover was pretty and that was about it. The name and title in the book didn’t draw me in or anything, it was purely the elegant cover. I read the blurb and was instantly intrigued. Of course I know the Post name and General Foods brands—-I don’t live under a rock or anything! But I literally never gave much thought to the brand beyond just that—-a food company.

But after reading the blurb I wanted to know all the things about this interesting woman who became the biggest name in food and cereal! She sounded like an interesting figure. There are tons of books on the Vanderbilts, their name just screams ‘romanticism’, the Post name not so much but I was so drawn to this story after the blurb and couldn’t WAIT to read it. I was excited to see a new name and story that promised something different!

Heather Webb is such an incredibly gifted writer. I have read and loved many of her novels, she has written independent novels and cowritten novels with Hazel Gaynor. All of them have been wonderful reads and I always look forward to her upcoming novels. This book was obviously no different. I had this one on my radar for months!

When I was a little girl I was fascinated by Ellis Island. I recall learning about is in 5th grade and really romanticizing the idea of coming to a completely new country and having to navigate a new culture, in many cases a new language, and to try and make a home. I think I watched the film Fievel Goes West a million times as a kid and as I got older, other films like Far and Away, Titanic and The Godfather II because I was so interested in this time period and immigration. Even as an adult, I focused a large part of my masters degree to western migration and the Oregon Trail during the mid to late 1800s with Ellis Island being a key part of my research.

Obviously this book is HIGH up on my TBR list and I couldn’t wait to dive in and start reading but I held off so that I could savor it and enjoy it rather than burn through it too quick. I easily could have read this one in one sitting but I did draw it out so that I could savor it because it was just a great read and I love Webb’s prose!