Purple for Sky

June M. Blurton is a retired speech/language pathologist.

A small town in northern New Brunswick is home to three generations of
shopkeeping women. Euphemia arrives there from England with her family
in the 1880s. Her father is employed by the local iron works; she
marries Silas and helps him in his general store. Her daughter, Ruby,
and her husband own a convenience store. By the time Ruby reaches the
age of 90, she has given the store to her niece, Lindy, and lives with
her.

Lindy, in her mid-50s, has problems. Not only is the store a hangout
for a group of destructive teenagers, but her aunt is showing increasing
signs of senility. The bright spot in her life is Wilf, her first
boyfriend in many years.

Each woman tells her story, and the three stories span the 20th
century. The voices are distinctive and tell a great deal about the
social climate of the time. The other characters also stand out as
individuals, and we care what happens to them. Well-researched details
of the housing, clothes, food, sights, smells, and sounds give a rounded
picture of each period.

This is a novel about ordinary people. Carol Bruneau’s tight writing
style, the story’s sadness, and its black humor make it memorable.