A Good Neighborhood

This was my first book by Therese Anne Fowler so I wasn't sure what to expect. This was an initially engaging read with good elements, but ultimately it fell a little flat for me. 

The story engaged me enough to keep me turning the pages but that was mainly due to the social issues it introduces (sexism, class, racism, conflict between vastly differing viewpoints, environmentalism, religious fervour, abuse of power ...). But as the story progresses, we're left with a slow, very drawn-out plot that didn't dig deep enough into the issues and included several underdeveloped characters - a couple of whom came off as caricatures (I'm looking at you, Brad).

Guiding the story is an unknown, omniscient narrator. I liked how the narrator (who reminded me of Mary Alice from Desperate Housewives) provides a slightly ominous vibe as s/he entices readers with foreshadowing throughout the story. These tidbits helped to pull me along through a story where, honestly, not much happens for the first three-quarters of the book. Things take a sharp turn in the last quarter when the pacing and drama are suddenly ratcheted up considerably, but it culminated in a somewhat sensational ending that felt rushed and left me underwhelmed.


I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. I had expected an eye-opening, powerful and emotional read and while it was 'good but not great' read for me, I applaud the author for introducing important issues that will hopefully instigate readers' discussions. There are a lot of people who adored this book, but it just wasn't a good fit for me. 

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Therese Anne Fowler

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Publisher: St Martin's Press

First Published: March 10, 2020

Opening Line: An upscale new house in a simple old neighborhood.

Book Description from GoodReads: In Oak Knoll, a verdant, tight-knit North Carolina neighborhood, professor of forestry and ecology Valerie Alston-Holt is raising her bright and talented biracial son. Xavier is headed to college in the fall, and after years of single parenting, Valerie is facing the prospect of an empty nest. All is well until the Whitmans move in next door - an apparently traditional family with new money, ambition, and a secretly troubled teenaged daughter.

Thanks to his thriving local business, Brad Whitman is something of a celebrity around town, and he's made a small fortune on his customer service and charm, while his wife, Julia, escaped her trailer park upbringing for the security of marriage and homemaking. Their new house is more than she ever imagined for herself, and who wouldn't want to live in Oak Knoll? With little in common except a property line, these two very different families quickly find themselves at odds: first, over an historic oak tree in Valerie's yard, and soon after, the blossoming romance between their two teenagers.

Told from multiple points of view, A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today―What does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don't see eye to eye?―as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending star-crossed love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.