The Commune, by Erica Abeel, is about a commune in the Hamptons where newly liberated women come together to plan the seminal 1970 Women’s March for Equality. These women find that while they’re talking and planning, they are tugged between the ideals of the movement and the draw of the past they may not be ready to let go of.

Abeel started this book off with a good hook: Leora is at the beginning of the Women’s March for Equality, explaining what some signs say to her young son, and is wondering if they were going to get enough people to make the March mean anything. This scene ends with Leora’s happy surprise at all the women who are going to the March. After this, we are taken back in time four months. We learn how Leora came to be a part of the Women’s March for Equality and learn more about her past and the important women who planned the March.

Throughout this poignant book we’re taken to different times and locations, with thoughts and dialogue all flowing together. Sometimes it’s hard to separate the two. We freely float between characters, locations, and times, ensuring the story is always moving forward, always revealing something, and always reading some engaging piece of dialogue, but sometimes it was hard for me to understand who was talking.

The Commune is told from the perspective of multiple characters, but ultimately I felt like this was Leora’s story, as I connected with her more than the other characters we follow throughout the story. While I appreciated the intriguing detours the other characters takes us on, Leora steals the show because she is such a compelling character.

Author Erica Abeel has a strong command of language that she uses to construct some scenes that are firmly rooted in locations, with very little fluff, always focused on our emotive characters, and because of this story story is riveting.

The command of language, the sections of connection, and the good hook at the beginning is the best parts of the book. Also, the end brings this captivating historical fiction story to a nice close. The Commune provides a satirical but impassioned story on women’s suffrage that will appeal to anyone looking for a culturally impactful story.

Pages: 330 | ISBN: 1954351798