Costalegre

Refuge. Courtney Maum’s novel titled, Costalegre, assembles many elements inside a compact work. War is looming in Europe in 1937 and wealthy art patron Leonora Calaway is arranging for artists and her art to be transported to Mexico where she has a resort named, Costalegre. Almost as an afterthought, she pulls her fifteen-year-old daughter, Lara, out of school to join the eclectic group in their refuge in Mexico. It’s Lara’s point of view that controls the narrative, and she so longs for attention from her mother that readers can feel her anguish. Maum breaks tension with humor and presents the lives of artists with vivid imagery. Maum presents privilege and longing in a lush setting and she writes about losing and finding ourselves as we live in this world of conflict, anxiety and uncertainty. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Costalegre from amazon.com.