What to Read: Book Reviews From Real Simple Readers

San Miguel, by T. C. Boyle

Reviewer: Nakia White; age 31; single; Oakland.

Nakia’s assessment: Two families settle on a small island off the coast of California—one in 1888, the other in 1930—in this historical saga. Reading about the trials and tribulations of the Waters family, the first family to settle on San Miguel, nearly bored me to tears. Three people surrounded by nothing but sheep, sand dunes, and horrible weather? There’s nothing entertaining about that, at least for me. I wish Boyle had dedicated more space to the Waters’s headstrong daughter, Edith, and how her life turned out. San Miguel was not my cup of tea, but it could please readers who live for historical fiction and aren’t too concerned about a gripping plot.

To buy: $28, amazon.com.