The novel is about a young woman, Frances from Georgia. She is visting for the first time in Miami with her friend Marse. Marse and her have befriended each other just the day before at a wedding. Marse asks her if she wants to spend the day in Stiltsville.
When the two get to Stiltsville Frances is captivated and the magic of the tropics, of the sight, smell, and sounds of the Miami Keys.
Frances and Marse meet Dennis, and Kyle at Stiltsville. Frances and Dennis get involved. It takes Frances quite awhile to feel connectied with the family. Frances decides to move from Georgia to Miami. They eventually marry and have a child, Margo. The novel spans for about thirty years from 1969 to 1993.
The marriage is rocky at first. With a unstable job Dennis can't seem to find. Frances finds a job that does not pay well. Young love matures become stable and matures and grows. The current events of the City of Miami, from the Muriel boat lift to hurricane Andrew. The story seems to parallel each other to the current events.
Their daughter Margo decides she wants to go off to college. Their daughter decides to live off campus. There is a series of murders at a apartment where college students are raped and murdered. Margo meets a young man, a protector that she eventually marries. But her parents are not too happy about the relationship.
Frances and Dennis have met their final challenge. I don't want to give anymore away.
The writing is beautiful and very fluid. It is like you melt away into the mysticm of Miami. The story melts away in your mouth like M&M's. You just want to savour it and you don't want it to end.
I was captivated by the story and cared so much what happened to each and every one of them. I was so touched by the last two sentences I cried.
I held my husband in my arms and pressed my face to his face. I kissed his lips. I told him I loved him, Thank you, over and over. I told him, Thank you for my life.
I just loved the writing. I recalled and revisited these places in my mind. I miss living there. Especially going on to Rickenbacker causeway, the palm trees when they sway to the wind. The coconuts on the ground and the smell of the beach.
I felt like Miami was the character in the book. To find out information about Stiltsville you can visit here.
Below is a video on Stiltsville.
Below is a video on Stiltsville.