John Smolens crafts novels that delve into the complexities of human connection and the inner lives of his characters. His prose is marked by keen observation and a capacity to render gritty reality with poetic grace. Smolens frequently explores themes of isolation, the search for identity, and the resilience of the human spirit against adversity. His narrative voice is compelling, drawing readers into profound reflections on the moral quandaries his characters confront.
In 1924, an orphan train passes through the Midwest, and two teenagers, seeking a new life, find nothing but hardship when taken in to live on a farm in Michigan. Mercy, a teenage girl of mixed race, and a boy nicknamed Rope, who lost fingers in a factory accident, become virtual prisoners of Harlan and Estelle Nau.