4.0 stars
DEFINITE recommendation

I received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Lisa Grunwald, Random House, Book Club Girl, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was an interesting story about a woman, Annabel who was drawn into the famous "Scopes Trial" of 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee just because she lived there. Also, her husband, George, was an attorney who represented the defendant against his arrest against the Butler Act which was against teaching evolution in public schools.

The marriage of Annabel and George goes through a lot including the chaos of the Scopes Trial. It was amazing that so many of the things that were on trial were similar to what we are STILL, STILL dealing with today. We just never seem to learn from our history!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read The Evolution of Annabel Craig. This is the story of Annabel's realization of her own beliefs and worth set against the backdrop of the trial of John Scopes. The story is well written and meticulously researched. The charecters are well developed. This is an enjoyable read that you don't want to miss.

Readers get to follow the growth journey of Annabel from her becoming an orphan at age 16 to a devoted wife at age 23 in Dayton, Tennessee in 1925. That is the year that the famous "Scopes Monkey Trial" took place in that small southern town and drew nationwide attention when high powered lawyers William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow squared off in what became an argument between the word of God as written in the Bible and the new science of evolution.
Annabel's husband becomes a part of Darrow's legal team and Annabel's marriage and home life are changed forever. Raised as a good Southern Christian girl, Annabel is now being exposed to more worldly views about the role of women, religion and the promises made in marriage. As her marriage starts to falter and her husband is no longer a man she respects or loves, Annabel must make some hard decisions about her future.
I appreciated the parallel between Annabel's near drowning as a child to her hesitancy as an adult to enter the water to her taking that first step in learning to swim on her own and how her life has developed from a child to an independent woman. Secondary characters and place descriptions are well drawn and paint the picture of small town Southern life in the early 1920s. An interesting perspective on one of the most famous legal cases in U.S. history.

3.9 but leveling up. A very interesting historical fiction novel on the Scopes trial, its impact on the town where it happened as well as its overall impact. Although more fiction than truth, it was a good examination of the factors behind the decision to bring the case, the vivid personalities, particularly of William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow., and the trial itself. I learned a lot about the background and the trial, including the polarization of the two sides of the issue, with eerily similar undertones to what is happening currently. The storyline was good but lacking in credibility in parts although still good. The characters were very well defined. An enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a candid and honest review.

The Evolution of Annabel Craig
A Novel
by Lisa Grunwald (This review is based on an ARC sent to me by Net Galley)
This book is a fictionalized account of the Scopes Trial.
(The Scopes Trial, also known as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was the 1925 prosecution of science teacher John Scopes for teaching evolution in a Tennessee public school, which a recent bill had made illegal.)
The trial featured two of the best-known orators of the era, William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow, as opposing attorneys.
Annabel Hayes the main protagonist of the novel
born, baptized, and orphaned in the sleepy conservative town of Dayton, Tennessee—finds herself deeply in love with George Craig, a sophisticated attorney newly arrived from Knoxville, Tennessee.
The strain on their relationship is intensified when John T. Scopes is arrested for teaching Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution at the local high school. The trial is a spectacle that thrusts Dayton into the spotlight as the town is overrun by journalists and when George joins the defense team, Annabel a deeply religious woman starts to question her beliefs and begins to have the courage to think for herself.

Extraordinary and beautifully written. Immaculately researched and rich in detail. I have learned much about the Scopes trial. And all the while I enjoyed the evolution of Annabel.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I do love a well-written, well-researched historical fiction novel. In Lisa Grunwald's novel, The Evolution of Annabel Craig, we read about the story of Scopes Trial and the town in which it was held, all tied together with amazing characters, their relationships, and descriptions that take the reader there. This was of particular relevance in light of similar (church/state) issues facing education in our schools today!
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

“The Evolution of Annabel Craig” is a historical fiction book by Lisa Grunwald. This book follows a woman, Annabel Craig, through her early life up to (and a little past) the State of Tennessee vs John Scopes trial, aka “The Scopes Monkey Trial.” What I liked about this book was that if you know anything not Hollywood-ized about the Scopes Trial, this book follows the actual trial from set-up to conclusion very well. I liked how while the trial is ongoing, Annabel starts thinking about things too. The reader may see some parallels to “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin - and, in fact, the Author’s Note mentions this. The beginning of this book is a bit heavy - Annabel didn’t have the smoothest and happiest of upbringings - so if certain things trigger you, you may want to skip this book. What I was not too keen on is that the cover is a bit whimsical and this book is not. I’m sure that I missed some of the depth of this book (I think it would be an interesting Book Club discussion book), but it was a fine story on the levels that I did read it on.

When I began reading this book I was not sure I would enjoy it - I was wrong! It takes place in Dayton Ohio - then a small town. The founding fathers hatch a plan to bring attention to their town by bringing the trial of Charles Darwin's theory of Evolution to Dayton. They find a gym teacher doesn't even remember teaching Darwin's theory but is willing to give his name. The infamous Scope's Trial will now take place in Dayton. Our heroine, Annabel Craig was orphaned at an early age. She meets her husband George Craig, an attorney who she is very much in love with. Theirs seems to be a very happy marriage until her husband defends a man gets him acquitted and later commits a terrible crime. George is devastated and he withdraws from Annabel. He gets a second chance when the trial comes to Dayton and he on the defense team for Scopes. Annabel goes to church and believes in the bible. Her beliefs are tested when she hears both sides. She becomes a photographer during the trial and begins to learn that she is not only a wife but is capable of so much more. I look forward to reading other books by this author and really hope there is a follow up book with Annabel.

Thank you Random House books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel centering on the Scopes trial in Dayton Tennessee in 1925, Annabel Craig, a local girl married to an attorney on the defense team, slowly evolves in her own belief system about religion versus science as the trial gets underway. I loved the parallel arcs that Grunwald portrays between Annabel and the townspeople - her internal conflicts are reflected in the views of the locals including her best friend Mercy, even as she becomes more open-minded to outside experts who come to testify for the defense.. Thorough research is woven into this novel, making it both a character driven story and a page turner - the reader has a front row seat to the that trial pits Clarence Darrow against William Jennings Bryan. Given the current political climate where questions about religion, science and history are being re-vetted in the classroom, this story is also timely, and a cautionary tale about the risks of weaponizing fear, misunderstanding and prejudice to re-write history. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Highly recommend!

Lisa Grunwald's The Evolution of Annabel Craig is an adaptation of The Awakening, reset in the 1920s Tennessee during the Scopes Trial that pitched a theoretical battle between fundamentalist Christians and scientists promoting the Evolution. Very well researched and engaging. The novel exquisitely highlights Annabel's emotional journey as she evolves from child to orphan to wife (of one of the defending attorneys) to professional photographer.

A very good read, thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advance reader copy. I look forward to reading more Grunwald novels.

The Theory of Evolution continues to be debated, but at no time was the debate more publicized than during the. Scopes trial in Dayton, Tennessee in 1925. In The Evolution of Annabel Craig, by Lisa Grunwald, brings this time back to life as viewed through the eyes of Annabel Craig. Annabel is a young woman who grew up in Dayton. Her husband is a lawyer and part of Scopes defense team. She sees a different side of him. As Annabel follows the trial, she questions what she’s always believed about several things. She learns that people evolve as they face life’s circumstances.

It’s an interesting book that looks at more than science and religion.

I was aware and had read about the Scopes trial. Science vs. Religion. A very good movie about this as well. The story told through the eyes of a fictional character was interesting in that Annabel herself evolved.

The Evolution of Annebel Craig by author Lisa Grunwald was enjoyable to read. It was based on the true events of the trial of John Scopes for teaching the theory of evolution in the classroom, which was also known as 'The Monkey's Trial.' I had never heard of this trial and it was interesting to find out that Scopes was actually a pawn for religion vs. science. People in the town thought a nationwide trial would have a positive effect on their poor economic town.

The author well-researched the actual trial and told the story from the eyes of the main character, Annabel Craig. Annabel grew up in the Bible belt in the city of Dayton, Tennessee in 1925. She grew up very conservative with a unwavering faith in God and the Word. She was orphaned at a young age and later when George Craig, an intellectual attorney, comes to town she falls in love with him and they marry. She was the typical housewife of the time who catered to her husband's every need. During their first year of marriage, her husband is chosen to help defend John Scopes. Then we enter in a well-known Southern prosecution attorney, William Jennings Bryan, to help defend the Butler Act. How does this change Annabel? Does she stand strong in her faith to God? What is the outcome of this trial? It definitely affects their marriage. Neighbors divide against neighbors and the town is in conflict with one another. Annabel rises up and begins to have a voice in her own home.

I had the privilege to receive an advanced copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book and look forward to checking out other books from this author. I hadn't heard of this trial and after reading this book, I went on to read more information regarding the trial, especially since I personally believe in creation and not evolution.

I obviously knew a bit about the Scopes trial but what was wonderful about this book was learning about the town where it took place, it’s people and the background as to how it came to take place in Dalton, TN. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I am going to now check out the author’s prior books. I’ve realized that I often enjoy first person narratives especially when I like that person! No wonder I liked epistolary novels.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Quick-moving and kept my attention, but it was so sad! I found myself rooting for the underdog, but it seemed nothing good was ever going to happen to poor Annabel. The writer did a great job with the historical elements, and this is what really keep the story driving for me. I also enjoyed Annabel's kindness and the way the author made her so relatable and truly believable. I learned a lot of interesting facts from this book--things that I feel may have been buried deep down in history books and are not widely known. For me, learning in this way is always a plus while enjoying fiction. The biggest downside for me was the missing element of hope. On the other hand, this "oppressed" vibe is so reflective of the 1920's.

Annabel Craig lives in Dayton, Tennessee in the early 1900s. She grows up on a farm with her mother and father, an only child despite her parents’ attempt to grow the family. Her mother travels to local communities to lead canning clubs, sometimes taking Annabel along. When the Spanish flu takes her father then her mother, Annabel is left an orphan at sixteen. She moves into the town’s boardinghouse where she also gets a job at the Aqua hotel and attends church regularly. She prays often for answers like having someone to love and one day, while forced to face her fear of water, entrusts her heart to George. A few short months later, they are married as George also embarks on his career as a lawyer. Annabel also takes up photography with her father’s camera she kept after his death. When the Scopes trial comes to her town, her world is rocked by what she learns.

As Annabel transitions from a child to orphan to wife, you see the evolution of her thinking and how your path in life can change who you are and the feelings you can experience. Her eyes are opened to a world outside her small town. We see Annabel transition for a God-fearing, dutiful wife to a young woman who is not afraid to question what she always took as face value. Through her witnessing of the Scopes trial and the characters it brings to town, she blossoms into using her curiosity to not see just one side of a story, but to learn all angles and then deciding her truth. (Side note: There is a lot of talk of religion in this book, but that is due to what the Scopes Trial was all about - God vs. Science.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy of The Evolution of Annabel Craig by Lisa Grunwald. Opinions expressed are my own. This book is set for publication on April 15, 2024. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #LisaGrunwald #TheEvolutionofAnnabelCraig #RandomHouse

Set in 1925 in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, this is a wonderful study of finding one’s true self. Annabel lived her entire life in this sleepy town and her dreams reached no further than marriage and children and living a good Christian life. And it appears all her dreams will come true. She marries George Craig, an attorney who recently moved to town and life is wonderful – for a while. Wanting to bring publicity and national recognition to the town some of the townspeople convince a local teacher to sue over the state law forbidding the teaching of theory of evolution in schools. They succeed in garnering national attention to town, but along the way divide the town into Bible Toting and Science Camps. And Annabel’s husband is on the science side. Like today’s political environment, both sides are so entrenched in their beliefs that they don’t even listen to the other and never discover they aren’t so different after all. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Recommended read.

In 1925, 25 year-old Annabel Craig is a newly married woman living in her hometown of Dayton, Tennessee. After a blissful childhood on a strawberry farm, she was orphaned at 16, but courageously made her way in the world by seeking employment at the Aqua Hotel. On a hot summer day, she meets her future husband, George Craig, at a local pond. He's been watching her for weeks as she stands on the side, never having learned to swim. George coaxes her in and tells her "I've got you," and thus their courtship begins.

George is an attorney who has just moved down from Chattanooga to practice law at a local firm. An orphan himself, he and Annabel seem to be kindred spirits, and George, at first, is a supportive and encouraging husband.

However, after a trial George wins that results in devastating consequences, George retreats within himself leaving Annabel to question the man she thought she knew.

When the Scopes "Monkey" Trial comes to town, George seems to become his old self and secures a spot on the defense team of acclaimed attorney Clarence Darrow.

As the trial unfolds, Annabel will again question her feelings about her husband and begin to see that there is a place for the teachings of evolution and creationism to exist together.

I really liked Annabel's character. She was a woman who realized her worth as a homemaker and in the wake of the trial that upset her hometown, she also realized there was a whole world that she needed to explore. I Iiked that she didn't cower to George or anyone else.

Lisa Grunwald's writing style was lovely as well. One passage I highlighted was: "When you grow up on a strawberry farm, you probably always miss the smell too--the sweetness that, even before the fruit blooms, seems to sit like a mist on the air."

For those of you who like Southern fiction and/or historical fiction, put this on the top of your list!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for an ARC ebook edition of this heartfelt novel.

I was asked to review “The Evolution of Annabel Craig” by Lisa Grunwald.

I read a lot of historical fiction but have not read many novels that cover the particular era of the Scopes trials, which examined the teaching of evolution in public schools.

Annabel Craig was able to get through a rough childhood because of her faith. Yet, when her husband joins the team to defend the man (Scopes) arrested for teaching evolution, she is forced to reconcile her beliefs with what her husband is advocating.

As an attorney and law professor, I love a good trial novel and though I enjoyed the legal aspects of the book what I liked the most was Annabel’s own evolution. (Pun intended).

Four out of five stars.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley.