by Dani Shapiro ★★★☆☆
Signal Fires focuses on two families: the Wilfs, who were some of the early residents of Division Street in New York City, and the Shenkmans, a family of three who move in a couple of decades after the Wilfs. The story bounces between moments in history, but primarily acts as a character study of the two families.
I won't go into tremendous detail, because frankly this was a disappointment. It felt like it was trying to be something moving and beautiful, but instead it missed the mark pretty significantly for me. In the book description, it says "the past comes hurtling back to Division Street, setting in motion a chain of spellbinding events that will transform both families forever." I expected spellbinding; what I got was milquetoast. The writing is decent, but the storytelling is not. Shapiro diffuses tension through outright reveals well in advance, only to have the reader slog through the events leading up to an already-revealed climax. The characters were somewhat interesting, but they felt muddled and in many cases under-realized.
There are certainly echoes of Ann Patchett in Shipiro's writing, and given I've been underwhelmed by multiple Patchett novels, this just might not be the style for me. However, I can really enjoy a character-driven story that's executed well. Something like A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, or one of my favorites from earlier this year, Still Life by Sarah Winman, tell me that there's plenty of room for my appreciation when it's done right, when the novel sparks with magical and memorable moments and the characters live on in my memory long after I've finished. For whatever reason, Signal Fires lacked that magic, and I was anxious to put it behind me. I never fell in love with (or even especially liked) the characters, and so I was left disappointed and wanting something better.