Woman Enters Left

I liked this book a lot and could have loved it if it had been a little longer. Loved the two separate timelines of women making cross-country trips (in opposite directions), especially the challenges of two women traveling alone and “auto-camping” in the 1920s. Loved the time period details that Brockmole seamlessly weaves into the narratives, such as the price of everyday items in the 1920s and the glamorous clothing of the 1950s. I loved the variety of modalities that she used to tell the story, including diary entries, screenplays and letters. I loved the dynamics of the relationships between Louise and Arnie, and between Florrie, Ethel and Carl. BUT (and here's the big qualifier), the relationships needed more pages devoted to them to really breathe and have a full impact on the reader. They felt sketchy - more like a screenplay, ironically, than a novel. But hats off to Brockmole for a unique, engaging story.