The Book That Matters Most by Ann HoodMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Going into this book I actually didn’t expect much, and didn’t know what the book might be about either. In the end, I enjoyed it.
There are two story lines, one of a mom mourning a recently ruined marriage, her husband left for a past girlfriend. The other is of the daughter, off in Paris ruining herself with drugs and illicit love affairs. She allows herself to be literally a kept woman in an upstairs apartment, much like the attic. The older man gives her everything and what keeps her is really the drugs. She thinks she’s in love, but gets bored or something, then after striking up other relations with boys her age she gets repulsed by the man. Eventually she leaves, but nearly overdoses and luckily the boy had called authorities. She detoxes in the hospital then actually does quit the drugs once clean, ends up at a bookshop.
The main thrust for the mother is the new book club she joined. Her best friend, a librarian, runs the group and finally she has time and wants to meet other people, be involved. And she has her own affair, but this time with a young man, he started it. The book club chose the books that mattered most to them for each month read, rotating people, which had been chosen on the December meeting.
There is loss, of mother, of the marriage, of her daughter a little, but that becomes resolved. Yet it isn’t too sad. The ending wraps up neatly, too neatly actually.
I received a free copy of this book at a library conference. I was not required to write a review, but felt like it and, of course, the above opinions are my own.
March 18, 2020 – Started Reading
March 18, 2020 – Shelved as: own-read
March 21, 2020 – Finished Reading
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