Appraisals

In "Appraisals," debut author Claire Boyles explores the challenges faced by a multigenerational farm family in rural Colorado during the Great Recession. As Maggie Brandt navigates her role as a small-scale organic farmer, her husband Fish's decision to work in the oil and gas industry creates tension within the family, especially for their environmentally conscious daughter, Ozzie. Amid growing community concerns over land and water rights, Ozzie's activism intensifies, prompting Maggie and her grandmother, Flora, to confront their family's past in a quest for resolution. This poignant novel intertwines themes of ecological crisis, financial struggle, and the enduring bonds between women.