LINES—

by Geralyn Hesslau Magrady

In 1871, Chicago is unaware of the great tragedy ready to unfold. The class struggles that were evident prior to the fire will be strengthened during the city's rebirth, and an obedient Livia Haas must find her own strength during the transition. Affected by a first love, a deceased brother, and a sinister acquaintance who threatens her life and family, Livia Haas is forced to question literal and personal lines, as well as those that exist in the lineage from which she is born.

Genres: Historical Fiction

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 30, 2015

About the author

Geralyn Hesslau Magrady is a poet, essayist, and novelist . A Chicago native who specializes in local history, Geralyn won the “Soon to be Famous Illinois Author” contest for her 2015 novel Lines, which is set amid the Great Chicago Fire. Maintaining her ties to the city, Geralyn sets her recent novella, When Walls Talk, in Chicago’s Little Italy. Her poetry and essays have been published in literary anthologies, including The Write City Review and Writer Shed Stories.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, my cousin Tommy recommended this book to me. He even lent me his signed copy. I will normally read anything set in Chicago, just because. This book takes place in turn of the century, pre &post fire. It follows the Haas family, specifically the daughter Livia, & their life in the city. It touches upon the hardships of an industrial life, immigration, prejudicial intolerance, racism, violence, and that's just a few topics. It brings a semi historical perspective of the times, with a ode to a first love. The horrors of the sweat shops & industry working conditions. A life & passion for the antagonistic union organizers. So much in one book, I'd definitely recommend it. A couple of minor inconsistencies & plot issues, but otherwise a good read.

[Sonia Reppe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This self-published book won the 2016 Soon-To-Be-Famous Illinois Author Contest (A contest run by librarians for self-pub writers). The author (from nearby Berwyn) was generous enough to donate a box of copies to my library that we passed out for summer reading, and also came to speak about her writing experience. (Thanks, Geralyn!)
There were some parts were I was engrossed, but other times the uneven plot structure plodded along. There is a big reveal near the end where a family friend is disclosing crucial information that was mysterious to the main character, which could have had a better build up and been less confusing. I didn't get much from that payoff. That was one of my problems with this, but I did have an enjoyable reading experience, especially the romance parts. That leads me to a complaint: Livia's love interest, Will, disappears halfway into the book. I guess being upset about that shows that I was invested in the character of Livia.

[Helene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intrigued because the story takes place around the Chicago Fire. However, the Fire was not a major factor in the story - yes, the characters lost their homes and had to resettle but the story jumped from the night of the fire to several years after.

However, the story of the daughter of a poor family who gets a job outside of the family business does present a picture of the hardships of life. The story covers true love, an unwed mother, an arranged marriage, a menacing brute and the joy of friends over almost 2 decades. Entertaining.

[K. Colgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know the author!

It was great to see someone that I went to school and grew up with achieve their dream! Her writing style pulls you in to make you feel that you are actually in the story and living it through the eyes of the main character (Livia). Using the history of some of the most tragic and defining moments in Chicago as a timeline, the reader can easily see it happening.

Congratulations Ger! So proud of your accomplishment!

[David W. Berner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with the Livia, the main character of Geralyn Hesslau Magrady's LINES and I have fallen in love again with the city of Chicago—its history, its rough and tumble beginnings, its rebirth. In many ways, that's the same reason I love Livia—her under-the-skin toughness and her ultimate awakening, her rebirth, you might say. She's a great female character in the middle of a wonderful story steeped in history. Magrady's writing takes you to a time and place in Chicago history with such ease and grace. LINES is a superbly told tale that will have you rooting for the characters and for a great American city. Tremendous historical fiction!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting tale of Chicago around the time of the great fire. I really enjoyed the story and characters, but felt there were some gaps that I would have like filled in. Probably about 3.5 stars.

[Cheryl Muth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling

Truly enjoyed the portrayal of life, love and liberty in early Chicago. As a native Chicagoan and a history buff, I appreciated the insights into the early days of the Labor movement and the references to locations I can still relate to. This story reflects the story of many of the hard working European immigrants who built this city with sweat, blood and love at great expense.

[Galena Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Larissa Distler, Adult Services Librarian.

G. Hesslau Magrady delivers a wonderfully romantic and compelling story set in early Chicago. Livia is a young girl living in Chicago right before, during, and after the Great Fire in 1871. She deals with social issues of the time and becomes a tough woman who confronts those issues head on by the end.

If you love historical fiction, romance, or Chicago history, this is a great novel for you.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this debut novel. Well developed story with great character development. I hope to read more of her works in the future.

[Lana Geselbracht · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting view of all the things that happened during and after the Chicago fire. Made me do more research about what burned, the social and economic implications of the devastation.