Happy Saturday!
School starts in a couple of weeks and I have wavered between being in denial about all of the work to be done and trying to wrap my head around having a regular schedule for the first time in almost 6 months. On top of this, I am house hunting! It’s an exciting and stressful time, but at least there are plenty of books on my TBR list to give me some reprieve from the rest of my responsibilities.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins, I read an advanced reader’s copy of the subject of today’s review: The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons.
Rundown: Eudora Honeysett is 85 and has had enough of the world. It is loud, it is rude, and it does not care about her. She does not want her life to end without dignity–with a loss of faculties and living in a home or at the hospital. Eudora wants the end to come in her own way and so, she gets the ball rolling by placing a call to a specialized Swiss clinic. She is ready to embrace the end.
Then, 10-year old Rose moves in next door in a blaze of color and sparkles. Despite Eudora’s desire to be left alone to plan for the end ahead, she is unable to avoid being swept up in adventures with Rose and another neighbor Stanley, who has recently lost his wife. Eudora soon finds that in order to move forward, she has to come to peace with her less than ideal past and decide what it really is that she really wants for her life.
My Thoughts: This was so different from books I typically read, because I typically don’t read books in which the main character of the book is an 85-year old woman contemplating death. Reading this, however has showed me that I really need to broaden my horizons and read more books with “elderly” main characters! The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett is just so good. I was taken in from the start. I thought it would be one that that might take some time to get into…but that was not the case at all. I couldn’t wait to keep reading. The way this story tackles old age and the idea and reality of death, not to mention the severe impact guilt can have on a person, is so important. Lyons weaves Eudora’s past and present storylines so well and absolutely can craft a good story. However, I think creating characters is where her talent really shines. Each character felt compelling and real and important and I felt so attached to them and their trials and triumphs. I wanted to know them in real life!
Recommendation: I highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy contemporary fiction. While I admit, I spent a decent amount of time weeping while reading this book, there are many funny and joyful moments! It was lovely.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Keep reading.
The Bookish Bird 