The Wives of Los Alamos - Tarashea Nesbit

The winter feels like it has finally arrived in our city, with grey heavy dark clouds and temperatures that make you want to head to bed early, and snuggle in for an afternoon nap.  My annual winter cold didn't help to make my week off go as smoothly as planned, but luckily this seasonal combo allowed me a lot more reading time then anticipated.

This clever little novel looks at the lives of the women of Los Alamos during WWII.  Not knowing where or why they are being sent to a small rural town in the desert, the wives are also sworn to secrecy and not allowed to let their families know, or keep in contact with them while away.  With new names and identities they have to learn to get along with the other wives and children in their isolated neighbourhood.

There is also a poetic motion to this story as it is not just the tale of one wife and her circle, but rather includes the experiences of many, the American, British, Russian and many other nationalities of women brought together and of their children, the babies, toddlers, children and teenagers who have to adapt and move forward.

The only thing I was left wondering was what happened to those testing the atomic weapons, what happened when they went home, ten and twenty years after.  How were they affected?

3/5