Vinegar Hill - A. Manette Ansay

Vinegar Hill is about a woman, Ellen, who moves her family (husband and 2 children) to her husband's parent's house. Ellen's husband has parents who hate Ellen. Mary Margaret is mean and judgmental, always wishing Ellen would do things the way her own mother did. Fritz is violent. Ellen wants her husband to stand up to his parents and show compassion and love for not only her, but also their children, but he does not. In the end, Ellen must figure out what she wants to do, because she cannot count on anybody else to help her.

I was interested in Vinegar Hill from the first line to the last line. The synopsis kind of had a V.C. Andrews - Flowers in the Attic vibe so of course I was drawn to it. The first scene really sets the tone for the rest of the book. It is a description of a dinner with the family, and it's great. The reader can already build up an idea of how they feel about Mary Margaret and Fritz after just this scene, but more information will be revealed that won't necessarily change your mind, but possibly give you a better glimpse of why these characters are so horrible.

One thing about this book that I noticed quickly is the way the abuse and violence are detailed. They are presented so straightforward that it is jarring - "He grabs James by the collar and punches him in the face" (66).

In the end, this is not really a book about Ellen. It's a book about Ellen's family. It's a good book, but if you are looking for a clean resolution, you might be unsatisfied.