Up on End and Spinning keeps the reader slightly off balance from the first line As the narrative takes on an unsteady casual expressiveness and abruptly switches timelines or character groups in a paragraph s space the giddy fragmentary approach is dizzying but worth trusting Bachelder on the journey for it all comes together and moves forward with glimpsing yet clarifying insight that endlessly revolves back around Her reeling prose mixed with poetry is a decidedly and delightfully quirky style that sets the whirling pace for a disorienting but sharply insightful narrative that is wisely incisive in its character development staggeringly beautiful in its compassionate provocation and utterly relatable in its grounding humanity Rather than being the type of novel that I might sit down and feverishly read in one go I found my reading experience best when I followed the timeline set by the narrative s divided parts which gave me opportunity to digest the artful and loaded writing as this structure paced the unfolding story in a quasi real time experience as much as that is possible in the divergent sense of time and place with which the novel plays Sarah Hartford is a single mother trying to find her her way in the world and her missing sister who she hasn t seen or heard from in thirteen years As she desperately searches for any clue as to what what happened to Laney Sarah ruminates on the past reflects on her present and is unsure of where her life is going When a mysterious letter arrives Sarah is jolted anew into solving the puzzle of her sister s disappearance as she tries to put her family s pieces back together But Up on End and Spinning is much than a family mystery or missing person story. A three generational story set in 20th century the novel muses on life s intricate and unexpected interconnections estrangements and kinship Its references deeply delve into New England history pop culture and social history It absolutely shines in its portrayal of interpersonal relationships and identity Its myriad themes touch on feminism domestic abuse mental health and social violence This is a story about family despair love and most of all hope Up on End and Spinning is a really unique novel I ll be hoping for from Batchelder Up on End and Spinning

Up on End and Spinning By Helen J Batchelder

Paperback

Up on End Spinning is a poignant and often funny dive into the daily life and relationships of late 20th century New England Loaded with pop culture it is the story of three generations of powerful women feminism and family mysteries told through the eyes of the sole survivor a single mother whose undiagnosed neurodiversity has left her vulnerable to bullies and narcissists Sarah Hartford has created a fine life for herself though or so she thinks When a letter suddenly nudges her awake she knows she has serious work to do if she hopes to discover what happened to her sister missing for thirteen years Up on End and Spinning.