Thursday, December 17, 2015

This is Your Life Harriet Chance: Book review







This Is Your Life Harriet Chance
By Jonathan Evison

Galley was given by publisher


This Is Your Life Harrient Chance is a different type of writing. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. The novel is not writen linear, but written at different times of Harriet's life. From the age of 78, then to her 20, then when she is a little girl.

 I enjoyed the different perspectives of her life, and her point of views.  For instance the memories and reactions, how the story is told can be very different when she is younger, or told when she is older.

 In life when we recall something, there is a trigger that something jogs are memory. Then a cascade of dominos start falling. That is exactly what happens with the writer.

The novel starts out when Harrietl is 78. Her husband passses away. A travel agent calls her and tells her that her husband has not picked up he's prize. Harriet decides she will not let it go to waste, she goes to Alaska.  She revisits her entire life.  Her husband's spirit continues to come into her life. There are realizations she learns about her husband that upsets her. Her daughter enters the picture. They try to reconnect, there is anger, sadness, and happiness. Throughout the novel, I was thinking of the man, on at TV show, " This Is Your Life". Watching her every move, and re-rolling her story. Sort of remembering the movie, Christmas Carol, and Christmas past keeps coming back to haunt her.

Our book club read this for our book club. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there. I had a hard time getting into the novel. But, after I finished the book, I got it. The novel is a fast read.  It is a coming of age story when your parents get older. When you get older.  Things in life happen, and your daughter and son's perspective of you. Your husband's perspective, and the reinvention of life.

There were many sad parts in the book, with many regrets, and sometime hard to swallow. But, I still enjoyed reading. I heard from our book club that most ladies didn't enjoy reading. I think because most of the people that are in the book club are older, and they did not live like Harriet, and experience the things that Harriet, and her family experienced.

Or because she had to make some tough choices. Some of the other ladies, said, " I didn't like the book". It was so sad. I didn't see it that way.

If you like books that are different,and unique. You may enjoy it. I found it to be a character study, and a beach and at times fun read.