Just south of Miami off the tip of Key Biscayne sits a unique group of houses. Built on stilts in the bay, these houses were the getaway community for Miami elite and formed a legacy of parties, gambling, and more dating back as far as the 1930’s. That’s exactly what Frances was looking for when she accepted an invitation from a girl she just met – a place to get away and party for the weekend. She never would have guessed how that one weekend would shape her entire future. Romance, friendship, family, and more – decades of her life could all be traced back to one decision to venture out to Stiltsville as a teen.
Susanna Daniel’s debut novel is an ode to a piece of Miami history that, for a time, was quickly disappearing. Stiltsville, a very real landmark in Biscayne Bay, has been threatened by hurricanes, development of boating lanes, and the government as the National Park Service took over the area. Daniel writes Frances’ life story in what almost reads like a memoir – her inner thoughts, her self-confessions, and her longings. This very relatable story shows the power of one decision to change the course of our lives, but also the value of friendship and family for the tough moments life brings. Daniel draws on her own life in the Miami area, including Stiltsville, in building the scenes and culture throughout the book. This is a story of love and learning to live with the obstacles we face, not necessarily overcoming them.
I give Stiltsville 4 out of 5 stars. I liked this book, but there were slow moments that took me time to work through. While I could visualize certain scenes without trouble, the author could have added more details to both place and people occasionally. I also felt like I never connected with Frances’ friends in the periphery of her life. I could tell their approval of her decisions, along with their own decision making was integral to the story Daniel wanted to tell, but felt like I was missing something. I appreciate that the author did not shy away from difficult topics like infidelity, but did so in a way that was both relatable and without sensationalizing them. I found myself astounded at the health scares later in the book – the details were shared in a way that left me shaken as I would expect any person in that situation would be. This novel spans several decades, which can be daunting for an author, but Daniels expertly navigates the time utilizing real-life events and the natural maturing of the characters to mark the passing of the years.
With inclusions of sex and descriptions of a neurological disorder, I would recommend this book for more mature audiences over 13. Also, the real-life events like riots and drug use would gear this towards the old teens at minimum. This book would make a great selection for a women’s book club with attendees of various ages – being able to discuss Frances’ decisions in each stage of her life from differing perspectives would be very interesting!
I chose Stiltsville for the US States reading challenge prompt “Florida”. I spent several weeks towards the end of 2023 in the Miami area, but had never heard of Stiltsville. It was very interesting to see some places I visited referenced in the novel. I had read this was a romance novel – while there are some aspects of romance, this felt more like a historical fiction with a side of romance. Knowing now that the author was raised visiting a family home in Stiltsville, I can see now why she chose to set her debut novel in this area! Have you ever been to Stiltsville? Reading this novel made me want to revisit the area and seek this out!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: TBD
- Current audio book: The Blight Way, Patrick F. McManus
- Book I’m most looking forward to: The Bridges of Madison County, Robert James Waller
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