This was another book club choice and probably one I wouldn’t have chosen on my own. I do have a love for books turned into movies and tend to want to read the book first, so there was a draw, I can’t lie. I also jump on board when someone says, “This is a good book, you should read it.” I don’t read the summary or even look at the author’s picture. Okay, maybe I still look at the author’s picture.
Bernadette and I are two peas in a pod. We don’t always do well with people, especially those who seem to breathe different air than us. Their oxygen is sweeter, posher, with pointy corners, and clean countertops. Bernadette and I are both socially anxious and we are both creators. My favorite four sentences of the book are on page 136.
Bernadette,
Are you done? You can’t honestly believe any of this nonsense. People like you must create. If you don’t create, Bernadette, you will become a menace to society.
Paul
This sums up so much of the book. The main character, Bernadette is stricken with grief after a failed job and struggles with her family. She’s eccentric and odd in all the lovely entertaining kind of way. Her daughter is smart and thorough and helps narrate the story through a series of correspondences between multiple characters in the book.
Surprise! I didn’t realize the entire book was emails, faxes, handwritten notes, written documents, and the daughter Bala’s dialogue to fill in the gaps. It flows very well. The story goes off in tangents I got bored with so I found myself skimming. This only occurred twice.
Overall, the characters are engaging, the pace is fast and has you wondering what happens next, and piecing together the past. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it’s a great choice for a book club.
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Melisa Peterson Lewis 