Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Hallberg starts with a strong plot hook, exploring the complexities of growing older by fusing the lives of two people who have nothing in common on the surface. Subplots throughout the novel don't quite measure up to the main storyline, but readers will be intrigued by Letty Mae's travails.
Prose: Letty's voice is swift and succinct, delivered in compact, crisp sentences. Other sections of the novel come across as more fluid, but Hallberg capably uses those contrasting styles to portray different perspectives.
Originality: The main premise of Hallberg's novel—two people discovering unexpected solace with each other in the midst of hard times—has been done before, but there is a deeper meaning behind this narrative that probes life's more subtle paradoxes.
Character/Execution: Letty is a relatable protagonist, though her character lacks depth aside from her dissatisfaction with her marriage. Drucker is interesting, an enigmatic character who has moments where he is decidedly unlikable, but Hallberg later provides background to his story that will help readers better understand his development.
Date Submitted: June 24, 2024
“I freaking adore this book. I love the story and there are so many subtle details throughout that lend incredible depth, whether to a single moment, a scene, or the story as a whole.
Even the smallest things, like her headache easing a bit just from tossing her pantyhose—you don’t even realize what that truly meant in the moment, not until later…
There are some truly beautiful realizations about life, death, love, and mortality that I think are really going to resonate with readers. His loss is tragic, but necessary, and he meets such a beautiful end.
This is a novel that I highly recommend reading more than once. Returning to it a second—or even third—time, there is just so much to discover. And it sticks with you, long after you’ve put it down.”
“If you like a dark twisty book with sexuality and LGBQTIA this book is for you.”
"Wow" That is all I have to say..."
