The Stormchasers

I absolutely devoured this book -- an intense, whirlwind (tornado?) of a family drama. Blum does an excellent and nuanced job of depicting the complexities of mental illness, and the devastating effects it can have on a family. She also brings the reader deftly into the world of storm chasing, hitting the right balance of detail (you feel like you're learning something) and adventure (you get a vicarious adrenaline rush!) Blum keeps the stakes high throughout the book, with a sense of danger and foreboding building as the story of Karenna's past is revealed. There's also a delightfully sexy love story in the mix. Or maybe it just seemed extra sexy because of all the tornadoes? In any case, I found Stormchasers to be a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying read. Now, where do I sign up to go stormchasing?

Anyone who was fortunate enough to read Jenna Blum's debut novel "Those Who Save Us" will be unsurprised by the excellence of her latest book, "The Stormchasers." Blum takes us where few dare to tread, the hothouse emotional life of long-lost, estranged twins Karena and Charles, and renders their reunion with uncommon grace, precision, and empathy. Set in the present-day American Midwest, "The Stormchasers" has plenty to teach us - about extremes of climate, bipolar disorder, familial obligation - yet the balance between delight and instruction is always maintained. Blum has an unusual gift for evoking intense emotional states without going over the top. She achieves this through accurate detail, taut dialog, and gorgeous language. I was moved and inspired by "The Stormchasers." I hope others will be too!

It takes a gutsy and gifted writer to take on, in a single novel, two seemingly disparate themes as chasing tornadoes and a twin searching for a long lost brother with bipolar disorder, but Jenna has done it and delivered a dramatic, provocative, and emotionally intelligent read. First, the storms. If you've ever wondered what it's like to follow one's passions for stormchasing, this is a superb primer. Jenna knows and captures this fascinating world of weather junkies with wit, respect, and dramatic flair. Second, the bipolar brother, the searching sister, and the family. In her first novel, Those Who Save Us, Jenna wrote of trauma and memory in a tale that dates back to WWII Germany. Now she tackles the realities of bipolar disorder for those afflicted and their families. It's an educative lesson blended into a bracing story. Finally, full disclosure: Jenna's travel piece in the Boston Globe about going on a storm chase has led me to Tempest Tours (her favorite professional chase company), and through that connection I am fortunate to call her one of my friends. But as someone who considers reading time to be sacred, I would never hype a friend's book unless I read it cover to cover and found myself singing its praises thereafter. This one certainly meets that standard, with flying colors.

Jenna Blum is a storyteller. It doesn't matter if she is writing about the holocaust or tornadoes, she is able to put humanity and drama in everything she writes. The Stormchasers is an E Ticket ride that is NOT just about chasing storms, it is about the people who need to chase the sky. It is about people who need to find the ghosts from their pasts and ultimately it is about facing unburied secrets. Blum has created characters that are flawed and yet lovable. She challenges the reader to see people the way her characters need to, and that is not always easy. I loved the structure of the story and the way we were carried along with the compelling story of twins...imagine twins who had not seen each other in twenty years! What drove them apart and why did they not even know where they lived. And why after all these years, does Karena decide to find her brother? These questions drive the beginning of this story and we, as readers, join her search for these answers. It is always good news when Jenna Blum has written a new book. The bad news is that we now have to be patient for her third novel...but I believe that she has many more stories to tell. I urge everyone who loved Those who saved us, to read Jenna's new book. And I encourage anyone who simply loves great storytelling, to get this book.

I've never quite understood those insanos who find fascination in chasing a dangerous storm, but now I do. Jenna Blum's The Stormchasers, left me with a rich understanding of the kind of people this hobby attracts and it's not who I thought. Originally, I thought of the Midwestern surfer types who have no ocean, and the washed up scientists hunting for the 'big storm' like a data junkie. The movie Twister already covered that. But Blum's book delves beyond those silly stereotypes to provide a rich community of those who love to be humbled by the raw animal nature of god-like lightning and who get excited by the earthy smell of ozone in the air. By the last storm, I realized I was completely hooked on chasing down that big storm. I was surprised by the richness of this metaphor in exploring one of the main character's mental problems. At first, I was like, wild storm = charismatic, crazy guy. Got it. But then as we learn more about the enigmatic Charles through the eyes of his sister Karena, the complexity of the storms matches suit. I was delighted to peel layer of layer off the metaphor to see more similarities between Charles and impenetrable storms. I have never understood the power and chaos of a bipolar disorder. I expected a romance in the book, but I didn't expect to enjoy it so much. The character of Kevin is completely believable, huggable, and as square and wonderful as you could imagine a high school science teacher to be. The chemistry between Kevin and narrator Karena is really fun to watch unfold, answering the aging-old question, how do you flirt when you're over 30? Fascinating and playful. I loved Blum's first novel, Those Who Save Us, and was appropriately horrified by some of the sad and beautiful descriptions of brutal inhumanity. I did not know if Blum could pull off writing about a subject with less wild drama than the Nazis. Turns out, she can. Read this.