Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Synopsis
Like a Monster Roaring in the Dark of Night . . . ...Huricane Hugo came, slamming its Category 4 power into Charleston, South Carolina at the worst possible time-high tide. On September 21, 1989, Painter Place was scoured by a storm surge as part of the writhing Atlantic Ocean, while the "storm of the century" continued its rampage far inland, mauling the rest of the Carolinas. The setting for the magical island summer of 1985 at Painter Place is swept into history. Survivors are forced into a new reality that brings out the worst in them and their hometown of Whitehaven, and the Painter and Gregory families find that once you've experienced a hurricane like Hugo, nothing will be the same again. On the devastated South Carolina coastline of 1989 and in Arles, France during the centennial of Van Gogh's life there, Hugo continues the saga of Painter Place. Caroline Painter Gregory struggles to let go of the past and desperately grasps for the courage to face a future that may hold the worst that can possibly happen. Her journey to endure a trial that no heir to Painter Place ever faced will set a benchmark for the generations after her.
Tags
Is Hugo appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This multigenerational historical romance deals with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Hugo and the emotional and community trauma it leaves behind. There is no explicit content, but themes of loss, grief, and existential struggle may be intense for younger readers.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include death of parent, anxiety, and depression (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
A sweeping story of family, survival, and love set against the real-life devastation of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 South Carolina.