A quote that pops up frequently online goes something like, "You have only one life to live. You might as well do something with it". It always seems to be attributed to a different person, so I have no clue who really said it first but it's universal, so guess it doesn't matter. Judy Leigh's "The Silver-Haired Sisterhood" echoes that theme, that life is meant to be lived. The four characters in it, with Tess and Della being the focus, embrace that attitude despite age and all that comes with it. As they know and are reminded, much joy can also come with it. It's okay to be old. Yes, people may seem to look through you but that doesn't mean you have to be invisible and fade into the background, either. This is a delightful and heartwarming reminder to us all to live with hope and joy, reaching out for new experiences and to those who make up the family we create.
I won't detail the plot as the blurb does an excellent job but will note that the characters are wonderfully fleshed out and distinct. While I haven't read it, I gather that there's a previous book with these same characters that I'm definitely going to have to find. While the characters don't downplay the problems of aging, loss of mobility, losing loved ones, health issues, and such, the positives shine through them, even when they themselves aren't quite feeling it 100%. To me, that actually made them all the more real. The dialogue seemed to flow naturally, chatter you'd hear while sitting with friends or simply listening to others about you. It was wonderful to see Tess and Della find joy and purpose during their somewhat impulsive trip to Skye in hopes of relaxation and seeing the Northern Lights. As I just had the joy of seeing them above my home here in Alaska recently, that goal made me smile in anticipation.
They also reach out to help others and create new relationships, all the better when they are surprised with visitors. Will they see those magical lights dancing in the sky? Well, I'm not telling but you'll definitely enjoy this book if you love character driven books. There's so much more to the story but, well, you just need to read it. Thank you #BoldwoodBooks for the early introduction to this wonderful, optimistic sisterhood of women (and the glossary at the beginning). No matter what our ages, we should all be half as full of life and up for adventure and "What's next?" as they are.
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