Dr. Radway’s Sarsaparilla Resolvent by Beth Kephart, illustrated by her husband William Sulit, is a companion to her centennial novel, Dangerous Neighbors (my review), that provides a more in-depth look at the mysterious William. William Quinn is adrift when his father is sent to prison and his brother is murdered in 1871 Bush Hill, Pennsylvania. His ma, Essie, is drowning in her melancholy, barely able to rise to drink a spot of tea in the afternoons, while William is wandering about considering the ways he can fix things. While attempting to find the right elixir to cure his mother using the classified ads in the Ledger, William also is crafting a plan to right the other wrongs that have befallen his family to return it to stability.

Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2013/07/dr-radways-sarsaparilla-resolvent-by-beth-ke... ( )

Big Kid Reaction: I loved this book, mostly because of the characters. William is the main character. He idolized Francis, but not blindly; he and Career kept alive Francis’ tradition of whistling a tune to his dad from beyond the prison walls. He was a stray, but he cared for strays and turned a profit to it. This has a very Cat on a Hot Tin Roof feel to it, so it won’t appeal to everyone. I would add, though, that it finishes on a much higher note that Williams’ play.

Pros: Historical detail (like newspaper articles) and well developed characters keep you turning the page to see what happens next.

Cons: I kept looking for information about Dr. Radway's Sarsparilla Resolvent. It doesn't show up until about a third into the book, and is a very minor element of the story.