The Green Years

Wow. I loved this coming of age novel. This has been a great read and made me really think about the past.
For instance, what was life like with the hope of electricity coming to town.
How does a town react to the Ku Klux Klan coming to town and who joins?
How does a young boy with a "missing" father know what to do, how to act, how to ask out a girl?
This was a beautifully written book and I enjoyed reading it.
I really liked the drama of the adverse events that Harry had to overcome and his mind on how to overcome them all.
BRAVO to this new author!

3.5 stars.
An historical coming-of-age novel set in 1920s South Dakota, “The Green Years”, by Karen Wolff, is an entertaining story featuring an entrepreneur and dynamic young man who seems the personification of the American Dream.
Told from the perspective of Harry, the story held my interest with his juvenile yet assertive outlook on life, great characters and historical events interwoven with the lives of the protagonist and his family.
I was expecting more attention on Harry’s father, the wounded hero, and felt his character deserves its own romantic resolution.

The Green Years is a story that begins during World War 1 about a boy that is growing up among family trouble and community problems. The family is divided due to financial worries, but the community is divided by the arrival of the Ku Klux Klan. It's an interesting story, but I was disappointed in the ending. It just didn't end like I thought it would, and it seemed to leave loose ends,

A pretty good historical literary fiction. Interesting characters and a nice story made this mostly interesting. An ending that was a bit unresolved. A good first book by the author, who shows promise.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

I loved “The Green Years.” It’s a heartwarming tale of a curious and adventurous young boy, Harry Spencer, who, in growing up in a small town in South Dakota, discovers life isn’t always what it seems. Beautifully written with lively dialogue and humorous scenes, the author gives us a vivid picture of life after WWII and the obstacles people faced that seem surprisingly familiar to the struggles we face today. A wonderful, compelling coming-of-age story of family bonds and reconciliation.

3.5 stars

It’s 1917 in South Dakota and a widowed father of five children signs up for the war, leaving two of them with their grandparents and three with an aunt and uncle. Harry is eight years old as he and his sister are sent to stay with Gram and Gramps. A “shell shocked “ father returns with one arm, broken in spirt as well as body and unable to care for his children. Harry feels abandoned and wrestles with the things that are happening around him. The thing I liked most about this debut novel is that it is a terrific reflection of the times - the war, prohibition, the KKK, the Model T, the Charleston, the excitement of electricity coming to their town, the American dream in Harry’s desire to be someone beyond his life helping at his grandparents store, to go to high school, to make something of himself. Harry narrates this through the next ten years and I couldn’t help but find him endearing and couldn’t help but root for him as his entrepreneurial spirit and drive moves him forward and his understanding of things develop him on the road to adulthood. What kept me from giving this 4 stars is that it was quite predictable and somewhat slow until close to the end. Having said that, a likable young protagonist and that the time and place were so well presented will have me looking at what this author does next.


I received an advanced copy of this book from BHC Press though NetGalley.

The Green Years is a coming of age book set in a small down in South Dakota before and after World War I. The story is told through the eyes of the main character Harry Spencer, 8 years old at the start and subsequently spanned the next 20 years. He and his sister are sent to live with their grandparents when their father enlists and goes to war in France. He comes back a different person with one arm and defeated emotionally unable to unite his family again. Harry wants to go to high school and make something of himself. His dreams take may setbacks as he tries to reconcile with his father. The novel places Harry in a time of change and social upheaval forcing him to grow up quickly. The pacing is slow, but the author does a good job developing the characters. Harry and his father. This will appeal to reader of historical fiction based on the aftermath of war at home. Thank you to BHC Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and submit an honest review.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

Harry is determined to make something of himself. Endeavoring with heart and sometimes-humorous results, he sets out on his path in life, working in his granddad’s store, selling medicinal salves, washing windows, and falling in love.

Nice read, sweet story.

3☆

The Green Years is one of those novels that will stay with me for a long time. I am a fan of historical fiction and enjoy learning about the past when there are characters that I can feel attached to and feel great emotion towards when reading about their lives during that time, such as I did with Harry. The conditions and circumstances that this boy lived through tore at my heart, yet his perseverance, innocence, and raw honesty pulled at my heartstrings even more. I found the story to be compelling and enjoyed it.