Drops of Cerulean

Before reading this book, I looked up the word “cerulean,” and the images that came up showed a deep, rich-looking blue, which perfectly fits the characters in Drops of Cerulean. The plot of the story spans several generations of a wealthy family and depicts the relationship between them and the choices they make, all of which have lasting and profound impacts. The story itself is nothing unusual—an upper-class family with lots of problems who don’t always get along—yet there is something about the way the author brings these characters to life that makes this story stand out.

The strength of the writing lies in the characters, each of whom contain so many layers that it is almost impossible to describe them in a few short paragraphs. However, I can certainly try. This is not a story with a hero or a villain, rather, each and every character has their own strengths and flaws, and I found myself experiencing anger, sympathy, and resentment toward individual characters throughout the course of the story. Ilona was certainly my favorite character, and her courage and grace throughout the story, even as she was ridiculed, belittled, and ostracized by those closest to her, was inspiring and powerful. Even though I questioned some of her decisions, my heart ached for her as she struggled to find acceptance within her family.

For one, there is the relationship between Cadmus and Robert, which provided the backbone for the story. At a time when the gay rights movement was in its early stages, the depiction of Cadmus and Robert as they try to maintain their love for each other while concealing their relationship was heartbreaking. I enjoyed seeing both the negative and positive aspects of their relationship, and I appreciated how the author acknowledged the depth and complexity of their life together instead of resorting to stereotypes. I also enjoyed seeing Cadmus’s journey as he struggled to reconcile the love he had for his family with the love he had for his husband and desire to pursue his own path apart from his family. In many ways, this book was about the pull of tradition versus the desire for individuality, and the author does a beautiful job depicting each character's unique response to this very common dilemma.

Despite the strained relationships between some of the main characters, the concept of family is at the core of this novel, and the ending, which was both unexpected and beautifully written, hints at the idea that family can encompass much more than a blood relation. My favorite part of the story—and I won’t give anything away—is when one of the main characters upends an important realization about her family, and that realization has profound impacts on her self-perception as well as the relationships in her life. Even if I didn’t always agree with the characters, this is a beautifully written story that left me feeling connected to the Doyle clan, especially Cadmus and Ilona.

Definitely five stars from me.

I got a request to review Drops of Cerulean by Dawn Adams Cole from publicist Wiley Saichek. Wiley Saichek normally promotes mysteries and thrillers. This book is in neither of those categories. It's a dual period novel dealing with reincarnation. Fortunately, I am a very eclectic reader with an interest in spiritual themes. I downloaded a review copy from the publisher via Net Galley.

Drops of Cerulean reminded me of Braided Dimensions, a recent read by Marie Judson which I reviewed here. Both books deal with a mysterious spiritual connection between two women who live in different historical periods. Dawn Adams Cole and Marie Judson have different spiritual perspectives. After reading Dawn Adam Cole's Q&A, I would say that my own spiritual approach is more akin to Marie Judson's, but I feel that there is room for a great deal of variation in spiritual outlooks.

Although I was critical of some fine points in the portrayal of medieval Wales in Braided Dimensions, I had no such problems with Drops of Cerulean. Everything that I checked out about Cole's depiction of life in Houston, Texas during the 1930's was authentic. As a native of Houston, Cole would certainly have been motivated to get every detail right.

I hadn't been aware that the Great Depression hit Houston later than in other parts of the United States. This means that it lasted for less time in that city. So I imagine that it would have been easier for Houston to recover economically. The characters in Drops of Cerulean from the well-heeled Doyle family had some setbacks during the Great Depression, but they seemed to have pretty much retained their wealth and status afterward.

Prejudice was an important theme in Drops of Cerulean. Historical protagonist Ilona had to deal with ethnic and class prejudice. Her son Cadmus later faced prejudice over his gay identity. They both experienced rejection by the Doyles.

Delphina appeared late in the narrative, but she turned out to be a pivotal character. I wondered if her name was intended as a connection to the ancient priestesses of Delphi who were visionaries like Delphina.

I appreciated the integration of the themes in this book with the lives of the characters, and the times in which they lived. The spiritual aspect wove them all together in a satisfying way. I would give Drops of Cerulean four stars.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would initially.

The story covers so many different social topics, and yet at the same time the core of it remains the same- acceptance. Dawn Adams Cole did a marvelous job writing this story. Definitely recommend

This was a great book and I hope that readers pick up this new voice in fiction.. I had a hard time starting this book , but once I got more into it, I was floored by the wonderful writing and fascinating realistic characters.