REVIEWS FOR THE FORGOTTEN LIFE OF EVA GORDON
”[A] touching debut. . . . MacKillop takes the pain of aging and regret and infuses it with soul and a touch of humor. This auspicious first outing tugs at the heartstrings.”
—Publishers Weekly
Read the full review here.
“The book…underscores the dignity and need for autonomy of someone who is no longer able to live independently while highlighting the importance of intergenerational relationships.”
—Portland Press Herald
Read the full review here.
Read a Q&A with the author regarding The Forgotten Life of Gordon in Family Fiction here.
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ENDORSEMENTS FOR THE FORGOTTEN LIFE OF EVA GORDON
“On par with Olive Kitteridge! But where Olive woos, Eva Gordon captures. MacKillop’s characters landed in my bones, guts, heart—and took up residence. A poignant, utterly beautiful story of perspective and hope.”
—Cheryl Grey Bostrom, award-winning author of Sugar Birds: A Novel
“A story about aging, caregiving, friendship, parenting, nostalgia, and dementia—and a delightfully memorable and flawed character who has made her fair share of mistakes in life. There is the kind of patience in the plot evolvement and character disclosure reminiscent of the writings of Marilynne Robinson.”
—Jim Heynen, author of The Fall of Alice K.
“Splendid! A novel full of life and transformation, as charming as a New England cottage by the sea. You can’t help but fall in love with spunky, hard-edged Eva Gordon and the others connected to Try Again Farm. Anyone living with regrets will appreciate the gentleness and grace of this story, and the permeating sense of love will stay with you long after the final page.”
—Christine Kindberg, author of The Means That Make Us Strangers, Christy Award winner for YA
“A stirring story of both great sorrow and great love . . . that reminds us that love is indeed redemptive. Much like Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon gives us a woman who begs to be hated but who, page by page, we find ourselves unable not to love.”
—Katherine James, author of A Prayer for Orion and Can You See Anything Now?
“With lyrical and heartwarming prose, The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon masterfully captures themes of redemption and renewal in person, home, and land. Prepare to be endeared to the unlovable and contemplate the profundity of the grace of memory.”
—Katherine Elizabeth Clark, author of Where I End: A Story of Tragedy, Truth, and Rebellious Hope
“The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon is an engaging and timely novel. Well-written with a dose of humor and poignancy, you will fall in love with this cast of characters who create a misfit community. MacKillop tackles the difficult issue of aging, regret and memory loss, with hope for second chances.”
—Angela Correll, author of Grounded
“Her memory may be rapidly failing, but seventy-five-year-old Eva Gordon’s sharp-tongued wit is ever-intact as she navigates nagging regrets and unspoken desires. Readers of all ages will recognize the enduring challenges of living with difficult childhood memories in an increasingly inscrutable present and will root for Eva, even in her harshest moments. Linda McKillop’s The Forgotten Life of Eva Gordon is a big-hearted family saga, suffused with grace and kindness, featuring a cast of appealing characters who would be right at home in Jon Hassler’s Staggerford or Richard Russo’s Empire Falls. A quiet triumph of goodness.”
—Adrianne Harun, author of A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain
“A gently acerbic, absorbing, and deeply compassionate look at the disorientation and dislocation the elderly often face in their last years, and at those who face it with them. Eva is a captivating heroine, both prickly and poignant, and Mackillop is a wise and canny writer.”
—Suzanne Berne, author of The Dogs of Littlefield
“Linda MacKillop has created a cast of endearing characters that will touch your heart. MacKillop captures the essence of what dealing with memory loss looks like, but with hope and humor. I relished her beautiful writing style and ability to elegantly convey Eva’s thoughts and emotions. A gem of a book.”
—Terri Kraus, author of The Project Restoration Series trilogy and Farmhouse Retreat: Life-Giving Inspirations from a Rustic Countryside
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REVIEWS FOR HOTEL OSCAR MIKE ECHO
“If you’re a middle-grade reader or looking for a gift for one, Linda MacKillop’s new novel Hotel Oscar Mike Echo tops my list of recommendations!” ~Cheryl Bostrom, , award-winning author of Sugar Birds: A Novel, award-winning author of Sugar Birds: A Novel
Read the full review here.
“Hotel Oscar Mike Echo tackles life’s difficulties at kids’ level while offering hope.” —Portland Press Herald
Read the full review here.
“Linda MacKillop’s three-dimensional characters and well-written dialogue contribute to a heartwarming story of struggle. She addresses huge issues including poverty, mental illness, bullying, and family dysfunction in words appropriate for a middle-grade reader, but never resorts to trite answers or formulaic plot devices.” ~author Michele Morin
Read the full review here.
“…this was not just another middle grade novel: this was a middle grade novel the boys couldn’t get enough of, a book they begged to stay up late so they could read ‘just one more chapter.'” ~Cara Meredith, author of The Color of Life
Read the full review here.
“I would recommend this to kids, teens, and adults, since the story is so well-written and touching that anyone can enjoy it.” ~Bethany Davidson at Life is Story
Read the full review here.