Book Review- Tom Perrotta's Mrs. Fletcher

Thank you to Scribner for providing me with an advance copy of Tom Perrotta's novel, Mrs. Fletcher, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- With her only child off to college, divorced mom Eve Fletcher is finding herself at a transition. She is in her mid-forties and works as a director for a senior center, but she yearns for something more. To broaden her horizons, Eve signs up for a gender studies class at the local community college and befriends the professor, who happens to be transgendered. Eve begins to reevaluate her own sexuality, including exploring pornography and flirting with both her female employee and a young man who went to high school with Eve's son. Eve isn't quite sure what she wants, but she is opening herself up to possibilities.

On the flip side, we have Eve's cocky, jock son, Brendan, who is feeling the uncertainty of college. He quickly learns that what made him popular in high school isn't working in college. Eve is embracing her change, but Brendan is fighting against the inevitable. 

LIKE- Tom Perrotta is one of my favorite contemporary authors. I've read all of his previous books and I was absolutely thrilled to be granted an advance copy of Mrs. Fletcher. It's not an exaggeration to say that this was the 2017 release that I was most anticipating.

I love Perrotta's complex characters, unexpected plots, and wicked sense of humor. He has a way of making unlikable characters very relatable. Mrs. Fletcher is told primarily in close-third person as it shifts focus between different characters, with the one exception being Brendan. Brendan's POV is told in first person.

I considered why Perrotta chose this and I think it's because Brendan is the character that under-goes the biggest transformation. Although Eve arguably experiences great changes, she is a willing participant and none of her changes are out of character. Brendan doesn't even appear to realize that he needs to change. Early in the story, Eve overhears Brendan having sex with his girlfriend and although she is not shocked by the actions, she is appalled to hear Brendan making crude and misogynistic statements. Even though Eve is upset, she does not confront her son. Brendan is used to living a life where both his male and white privileged allow him to get away with terrible behavior. Until he heads to college, he has never been held accountable, and when finally confronted, Brendan's world comes crashing down. I think Perrotta allows the reader directly into Brendan's brain to make him less of a caricature and slightly more sympathetic when he begins to realize that he is in the wrong. Let's face it, it's hard to have sympathy for an obnoxious kid skating by on his privilege, but I found Eve's lack of confronting her son to be just a big of a transgression. She allows Brendan's behavior because confrontation would have made her uncomfortable. But if you were Eve, would you have said something? It's this type of complexity that draws me to Perrotta's stories. Perrotta allows the readers to climb into the character's shoes and there are never easy solutions.

DISLIKE- Not a single thing. I'm a Perrotta fan-girl!

RECOMMEND- Yes!!! Admittedly, Mrs. Fletcher is not my favorite Perrotta novel, but it was still fabulous. If you've not read Perrotta, I'd direct your attention towards Election, if you prefer comedy, and Little Children if you want a drama. I've enjoyed all of his novels and short stories. Truly with Perrotta, you can't go wrong!

Book Review- Sarah Schmidt's See What I Have Done

Thank You to Grove Atlantic for providing me with an advance copy of Sarah Schmidt's novel, See What I Have Done, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- See What I Have Done is Sarah Schmidt's historical fiction retelling of the infamous Lizzie Borden case. Schmidt alternates between the narration of Lizzie, Emma Borden (Lizzie's older sister), Bridget ( a disgruntled Irish housekeeper), and Benjamin ( a stranger hired by Lizzie's uncle to intimidate and possibly kill Andrew Borden). Although Lizzie was arrested, tried, and eventually acquitted of killing her father and stepmother, was she the one with the best motive? Who was really guilty in this still unsolved case?

LIKE- I love both true crime and historical fiction, so I was eager to read Schmidt's See What I Have Done. Like most people, I've heard of the Lizzie Borden story and I know the gruesome school-yard rhyme about her whacking her parents with an axe, however while reading this novel, I realized that I didn't know much about Borden or her family history. For example, I always thought this took place on a farm, but although Andrew Borden had an interest in farming, they were not primarily farmers. The Borden family was wealthy and Lizzie had even been sent on a "Grand Tour" to Europe. I suppose the fact that they were a prominent family, made this case all the more shocking.

I liked how Schmidt focused on the sister dynamic between Lizzie and Emma. It's fraught with tension, jealousy, and even fear. I found it interesting that after such a close relationship, even sharing a house after Lizzie was released from jail, that they became estranged. This twist leads me to believe that Emma felt that her sister likely committed the murder and perhaps felt nervous for her own safety. Schmidt writes Lizzie as someone calculating and unstable. Although other people had motive to murder the Bordens, it seems like Lizzie is the most likely culprit. 

Schmidt's writing style is effortless to read. She is masterful at setting scenes and using rich sensory images. It's quite gruesome when she gets to the details of the murder, specifically the carnage.

DISLIKE- Schmidt overlaps many of the plot points to show a different view with a switch in character perspective, and although this is often effective, it can also feel repetitive. I wish there had been more on the actual trial and Lizzie's perspective when she was in jail. These are minor complaints though, because overall, I was captivated by Schmidt's novel.

RECOMMEND - Yes, especially for true crime and historical fiction fans. If you even have the slightest interest in Lizzie Borden, See What I Have Done is a must read. 

Book Review- Rachel Elliott's Whispers Through a Megaphone

Thank you to Steerforth Press for providing me with an advance copy of Rachel Elliott's novel, Whispers Through a Megaphone, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Miriam was raised by a mentally-ill and abusive mother, who told Miriam that her father was dead. Using intimidation, Miriam's mother drilled into her the need to be quiet and as a result Miriam does not speak above a whisper. Now in her mid-thirties, Miriam's mother has died and Miriam has not left her home in three years. Miriam does not have any family left, but she is not alone. She has a childhood best friend who visits and urges Miriam to rejoin the world. She also has a next door neighbor who has been gathering his courage to ask her out on a date. In addition, Miriam has been receiving mysterious postcards from a stranger. 

When Miriam finally decides to leave her home, she walks in the woods and meets Ralph. Ralph's marriage is imploding and he has run away from his wife, Sadie, who has revealed that she no longer loves him. Can Ralph and Miriam help each other face their fears and change their lives?

LIKE- Miriam is a complex and intriguing character. She is truly a wonderful protagonist and it was effortless to root for her as she worked through her obstacles. Her backstory and terrible neglect are heartbreaking. Whispers Through a Megaphone has a lovely twist when we find out  who is responsible for the mysterious postcards and it makes for an emotional read. 

Ralph's story is given nearly as much weight as Miriam's, making him a dual protagonist. Like Miriam, it's easy to root for Ralph, especially as he has been dealt a rough hand. His storyline features themes of love, nostalgia, and regret. When their marriage is falling apart, Ralph and Sadie both seek out long-lost loves from their youth. Time does not stand-still and they are both shocked by what they find when they try to recapture what has been lost. As a cat lover, I was endeared to Ralph by his adopting the stray cat. It made his time in the woods seem a little less pitiful. 

DISLIKE- Whispers Through a Megaphone has too many storylines. The onslaught of characters and stories has the negative effect of overshadowing Miriam and Ralph. It's not that the other characters are less interesting, I just felt overwhelmed and unable to keep focus, like I kept getting yanked from one story and pulled into another. I would have liked a deeper focus on Miriam and on her backstory. I was left wanting to know more about her mother and her childhood. Miriam and Ralph are both rich characters to whom an entire story could have been dedicated and although their friendship is lovely, I wondered if it was necessary. 

RECOMMEND- Maybe. Elliott has created complex characters and a surprising story. There are many aspects of Whispers Through a Megaphone that I enjoyed, but the lack of focus and too many characters made the pacing sluggish. I'd definitely read Elliott's next novel, but I didn't absolutely love Whispers Through a Megaphone.