Unsettled

by Patricia Reis

Family Secrets. A genealogical quest takes Van back 100 years to the Iowa prairie in search of an ancestor no one has claimed. As Van Reinhardt clears out her father’s belongings, she comes across a request penned by her father prior to his death. Examining the family portrait of her German immigrant ancestors that he has left her, Van’s curiosity grows about one of the children portrayed there. Meanwhile in the 1870s, Kate is a German immigrant newly arrived in America with only her brother as family. When she and her brother split, she eventually finds her way back to him, but with a secret. Van revisits the town and the farm of her ancestors to discover calamitous events in probate records, farm auction lists, asylum records and lurid obituaries, hinting at a history far more complex and tumultuous than she had expected. But the mystery remains, until she changes upon a small book – sized for a pocket – that holds Tante Kate’s secret and provides the missing piece.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

363 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

Author Patricia Reis is a Midwesterner at heart. In the mid- 1800s, her German immigrant ancestors pioneered a farm in southwestern Iowa and their portrait gave her this story. She has lived on both coasts and currently resides in Portland, Maine where she is active in Maine Writers and Publishers. She spends six months of each year in Nova Scotia.
Reis holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin, an MFA from UCLA and a degree in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara. She also main- tains a private practice of psychotherapy for women.
Reis’s memoir, Motherlines: Love, Longing, and Libera- tion (SheWrites Press, October 2016) won a gold medal for memoir from Independent Press Publishers. Along with numerous essays and reviews, she has published several non- fiction books. Women’s Voices, includes her in-depth inter- view with naturalist and writer, Terry Tempest Williams; The Dreaming Way: Dreamwork and Art for Remembering and Recovery (recently translated into Korean, 2019); Daughters of Saturn: From Father’s Daughter to Creative Woman (1995, 2005) with a forthcoming Russian translation.

Reviews

[Addie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughts:
- A story of family secrets told across two timelines. I enjoyed reading about the Reinhardts and their various tragedies and secrets. Some scenes were brilliantly written, e.g. the descriptions of scenery and characterisation of various family members.
- The modern timeline wasn't as well put together. Van (the protagonist) doesn't really have a clear voice of her own, and her internal monologue seemed stilted and her conversations forced and bland. The discovery of an important piece of evidence is so jarringly random that it's described as "akin to winning the cosmic lottery."
- Overall, interesting points about the truthfulness of history and the stories we can uncover when we start asking about the things that have been hidden or censored. Cool concept, but suffers a bit in the modern timeline.

[stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unsettled is, in many respects, historical fiction at its most rich and most charming. The Reinhardts are gorgeously rendered, the prose intimate and nostalgic, their story prairie gothic at its finest. It paints a conflicted yet complete picture through interwoven points of view and Tante Kate’s journal entries, with best intentions twisted to devastating results and legacies of confusion.

This should, in theory, be the value of a modern timeline; to depict the way entire lives are reduced to black-and-white print, incomplete and sometimes misleading. A brilliant concept. Unfortunately, it stumbles in its execution; the present timeline is the weakest aspect of the novel, and serves as a jarring contrast to its expertly written counterpart. It is riddled with cliches ranging from memories said to roll in flashes like a b-movie and written-out song lyrics to the more uncomfortable, like the protagonist of marginally indigenous ancestry being called Pocahontas because she braids her hair. Van’s internal monologue is unconvincing, her reactions banal and contrived, the Iowan residents trite, the dialogue inauthentic and stilted, the journal entries which might have served as a tether to the past timeline bland rehashes of what’s just happened. It feels like an entirely different book written with vastly different skill, and gives the novel a disjointed feel, neither resonating effectively nor cohesively tying the narrative together.

It bears repeating that the historical timeline is exceptional. Richly imagined, its descriptions beautiful and immersive, and the characters gorgeously rendered, the prose & atmosphere of Unsettled is a resplendent experience that is dampened by a painfully written second narrative, made all the more frustrating in its stark contrast to its remarkable complementing timeline.

[Gilion Dumas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like other stories involving a modern and historic timeline, something has to trigger the modern-day protagonist to delve into the past. In Unsettled, Van Reinhardt is sent off on her historic quest when she finds message for her in her dead father’s desk. She sets out to fulfill her father's dying wish by tracking their ancestors' history. She searches through official records but only finds the key to her family’s secret when she discovers her Tante Kate’s diary.

While the framework may be familiar, Reis handles the story well. Unsettled is a well-executed and highly readable debut.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unsettled by Patricia Reis is well named. Van Reinhardt is a history professor whose parents were emotionally unavailable. Her mother was mentally ill, or addicted and her father, a geology professor, was an alcoholic who withdrew after her mother's death. After his death, she finds a note from him asking her to research his family in Iowa.

The quest fascinates her as she uncovers the story of her ancestors. The reader is brought along as she learns secrets lost to her father.

The book is well written and keeps the reader engaged unpeeling layers of the past with Van.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed following Van’s quest to learn more about her family’s history. I especially enjoyed the development of Letty’s story and how Van was able to relate it to her relationship with her parents.

[Lora Chilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was riveting! I loved it on so many levels- the history, the family secrets, the awakening of Van.

[Kathleen Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unsettled by Patricia Reis is the story of one woman curious to find out more about her ancestors. Told different point of view, one is Kate, known as Tante Kate in the 1870's. Kate is a German immigrant, having come to America with her brother. The second point of view is from Val Reinhardt, and depicts her search to learn more about her family and where she came from.

This genealogical research that Van is doing is the start of her going through her father's belongings, looking for anything that will help her in her search. Her father had requested that she look into her ancestry further, so all she has to work with is an old picture of the family.

This search takes her to libraries where she searches probate records, birth and death certificates, and any other documents that will help her piece together a story. The work is time-consuming but worth it in the long run.

I think that the author did a remarkable job with the past. It is a dual timeline, which I love to read, and very descriptive in the telling of a time long gone. The characters are brought to life with all of the flaws, difficulties, and love that a family has for each other even though life at times had to have been difficult.

Difficulties from drought and failure of the crops, the women having and losing children who died young. But from the story, I learned that even though there were tough times, it was also a happy time.

I give this book 5 stars! Well done!

[Kristin Herrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! The story switches points of view and time periods, which I normally find a deterrent, but this story fascinated me from the start, and I really enjoyed following along with Van as she uncovers layers of her family’s history. I identified somewhat with Van’s circumstances, especially her relationship with her father, and how that influences her relative lack of close friends or romantic partners. I enjoyed seeing the development of her character as she makes peace with past relationships, mends a current one, and allows herself to consider letting new people into her life. The author references the term ‘rural gothic’ and I feel that to be a very apt description of the events within the earlier timeline in the book. I found those parts of the book interesting, but mostly in the ways that they supported and connected with the later, more current timeline.

I especially liked all of the historical tidbits the author packed in, from Taliesin and the House on the Rock, to European settlers in the Midwest, to the voyaguers of the North American fur trade. This story is packed with delicious morsels for history lovers, any of which the reader could spend hours going down rabbit holes to research on their own.

4.5 stars, but I’m rounding up to 5

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin Van Rheenen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this leisurely and nuanced novel about family, identity, and inheritance. The book skillfully weaves together two stories that take place a century apart: in 2000, a middle-aged historian, a single woman, researches her sprawling German immigrant family; in 1900, we learn about the hopes, dreams, and disappointments of that very family. The stories gradually dovetail, with secrets revealed and themes resonating in both time periods. The descriptions of the land, and the farming family’s relationship to it, were especially poetic and insightful. In terms of setting and theme, this novel reminded me of Louise Erdrich’s “The Master Butchers Singing Club,” which I also highly recommend.

[Mary Whiteside · Rating 3 out of 5]

At her recently passed father request, Van goes on a search in a small Iowa town for secrets about her genealogy.
With the help of some locals she traces her family back to the late 1800's. She discovers a journal left by her late Aunt Kate. The Reinhardt family immigrate from Germany and had settled in a farm in Iowa.
All in all I liked this book mostly. It was tedious at times. It took me a while to read it because it just didn't peak my interest. I considered giving up and time. I didn't really start to enjoy it until about 60% in. After that I found it easy to read and very interesting. I ending was kind of anti climatic but Van did discover the truth her father wanted her to find. But it left me questioning why didn't he just tell her when he was alive. Others seem to love this book so maybe it is just my taste.
Thank you NetGalley and Sibylline Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Unsettled" gives us a clearly etched portrait of farm life in Iowa in the 1870s, full of careful details and a real sense of the land and its majesty. Replete with poetic images, it challenges any romanticized picture of that time and place -- especially for women. The author's handling of what happens to a woman who was considered mad is searing, and all too accurate from the historical documents. Juxtaposed agains that character is a modern woman with the classic dilemmas of love and place, investigating her family history and discovering that, as always, everything is much more complicated than it seems. A fine read that will repay close attention.

[Yen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsettled by Patricia Reis is a deeply introspective novel that delves into themes of identity, trauma, and personal growth. The story follows a woman grappling with her past and the complexities of her relationships, particularly with her family. Reis' writing is raw and evocative, capturing the protagonist's emotional turmoil with great sensitivity. The novel’s exploration of self-discovery, grief, and healing feels authentic and resonant, offering a profound look at the impact of life's uncertainties. With its strong character development and honest portrayal of inner conflict, Unsettled is a compelling, thought-provoking journey toward understanding and acceptance.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsettled is a historical fiction read based in the Midwest. It follows two different timelines of Van and her ancestors. Not only is it a journey of discovery of Van’s family history, but her own history with her parents and some self-discovery. The first part of the book was a little slow for me but provided necessary context, it picks up and hooks you in the second part of the book.

[Shelena Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting story, especially for those who are into genealogy and history. The MC is a bit uninteresting, mostly because her only personality trait seems to be being lost about herself- at least until the end but the other characters(from the turn of century) are more fleshed out. Overall, I really enjoyed it.

[Debbie L · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is told across two timelines. At times , I found some of the earlier timeline confusing. I liked how the story of Van’s research was told.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book in terms of its historical elements and rich atmosphere, and the title is on point. Van Reinhardt grew up without much parental emotional availability and subsequently researches the family’s history in Iowa. Van investigates her family’s past and uncovers all sorts of elements of her family’s past, secrets kept hidden and carried on – things that you cannot readily find through DNA mapping.

I received this from NetGalley and Sibylline Press in exchange for an honest review.