I was immediately hooked and wondering what wedge had driven these friends apart. Each character is distinct with both strengths and flaws, with the vague sense hovering in the air that something was wrong . Even the personalities of the side characters were well-fleshed out and you felt like you got to know and appreciate them, too. Yet, it's the trio of Bridget, Gloria, and Derek that hold center stage although the spirit of Norman, now just ashes, is a character, too, in a sense.. Each thought they had been the only real friend Norman had. They're wrong.
Always a prankster, Norman gets one last laugh at his old work friends. They each receive a seemingly personal notice that, if they're reading this, Norman is dead. He has a request. He requests they wear a colorful, bright item he's made just for them to the funeral. They are singled out at the funeral not only by their non-black garb but his assistant calling them together. Norman asks that his once closest friends scatter his ashes. Why are they so reluctant? Well, I'm not telling but that's one of the things that slowly emerges as the plot and their unexpected adventure progresses. Seems that wasn't the only request.
If you like character driven stories with a touch of family and even romance, you're going to love this one While not always likable, I'm betting you'll come away liking not just the trio but, as noted, the role of the side characters, too. The trio may not have been glad to be there but I was glad to be a fly on the wall with them, especially as I learned quite a bit about yarn and how it's produced. The intriguing, stormy landscape of the frequently isolated, seemingly almost treeless landscape of the Shetland Islands they travel through in some ways become a character. Heck, you even get to experience a rather nausea awakening ferry ride or two.
That's all I'm telling. Bottom line, this is a delightfully bumpy road to renewed friendships as they rediscover not only what drove them apart but what brought them together. I ultimately wound up liking them all and rooting for them, even the one I found particularly prickly initially. That's not to say that Norman's last trip was smooth. It had its bumpy, even "Oh, no!" moments, but I'm so glad #BoldwoodBooks allowed me this early peek at a book I wound up truly enjoying. Who know a request to scatter ashes could lead to so many changes and bring people together after years apart. Give it a read!
No comments:
Post a Comment