Brooke's Pick: The Operator by Gretchen Berg

All of us have played the classic children's game Telephone growing up. One person whispers a secret to another, and the secret grows and evolves as it is passed down the "telephone line." Gretchen Berg's debut novel The Operator plays on this concept with a 1950's telephone operator lurking on the line and hearing something that she shouldn't. The unraveling of this secret turns her small Ohio town into a minefield, with secrets popping off here and there, and entire lives being upended.

For a debut novel, The Operator is a solid entry into the women's fiction genre, with an intriguing premise and memorable setting. Where it falls short is in its execution - I was disconnected from The Operator's plot and characters, and often felt like too much information was thrown at me subversively throughout the book. This often made it difficult for me to stay engaged with the plot and keep track of what was going on. I would have preferred a simpler, intimate novel that showcased more of what life was like in the 50s for women, especially working women, such as the main character Vivian, as well as the daily ins and outs of being a telephone operator - an antiquated job in today's day and age, and one that most readers are likely to be unfamiliar with.

With that being said, The Operator is gossipy and scandalous (by 1950's standards) and really showcases the worst that people have to offer. Filled with despicable characters and exposing the dark side of some people's attraction to pettiness, jealousy, and drama, The Operator encapsulates small town spectacles in one dirty little package.

Availability: Book; Large Print Book; eBook in cloudLibrary

Rating: *** Stars (I liked it)

Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian

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 The Operator

GENRE: Historical Fiction

LOCATION: Ohio

TIME PERIOD: 1950s

SUBJECT: Eavesdropping; Gossiping & Gossips; Secrets; Small Town Life; Telephone Calls; Telephone Operators

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