A book I was probably “pushed” to read after seeing it a lot on people’s lists, grids etc. Which is always a tough place to start from, as you’re very much coming to it with “what’s the hype then”? Maybe I was asking too much when I expected this book to wow me.
I didn’t love it at first, thought it was good in the middle (narrative pushed me on), and then I was surprised with how emotional I felt at the end. The last few pages really got to me and made me rethink my feelings about it. Love a late bloomer!!
Some of the tone and context I was not crazy about. There was something there (privilege ?) that I didn’t connect with. Like some it is intense, but a lot of it is also very very low stakes. The mother telling her life story to her daughters allows for some intergenerational conflict, but it doesn’t really go anywhere.
The story is quite simple and interesting: mother explains her past acting career and love affair to her three daughters during lockdown on their Michigan cherry farm. The “frame” is good and once the story gets going, you are propelled forwards. It’s a very intentional structure that’s intelligently crafted.
Some oblique references to Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard were made, not sure if there was more to it?
I’d say give it a read, see what you think!! And don’t put too much pressure on books you’ve seen doing the rounds, come with an open ♥️
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