Broken for You
This is not a new book. It was published in 2004. It is the first book by the author Stephanie Kallos and it was okay but way too busy for this reader.
The story opens with the main character, a 76 year old woman, having been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She has had a series of unfortunate events in her life which leaves her living all alone in a mansion. She decides to change her ways a bit and opens her home to a young woman whose love affair has just ended. She opens her home to other characters along the way. If the author had just stuck to the interactions of these characters it would have moved along a bit more quickly.
However, the main character has some quirks. She talks to her "things" and she also hears comments from time to time from her dead mother who reminds this reader of a "Mommy Dearest" type.
There was a book several years ago that talked about people getting rid of anger and frustration by breaking china. The two main characters in this book do just that in the backyard of the mansion. I presume the title has something to do with the broken china and broken people and how they are mended.
I would hope the author's next entry is simpler and easier to follow. With all this said, I will look for a forthcoming title by Ms. Kallos.
Ladybookbug!
2 comments:
Hi Ladybug,
I'm a new book blogger and have been considering getting my link out there for more readers to see. Your post about this book got me interested.
It happens that this was one of my favorite reads in years and I hosted a book discussion of it at my library.
I thought it was an amazing feat for a first time writer, as did my co-workers. I loved the idea of the older woman who lived all her life closed away from people and society. Then a diagnosis of a fatal illness causes her to open up her world to others in such a remarkable way.
All these broken lives linked up and connected to eachother through her. Like the broken china (or Humpty Dumpty) these folks reinvented themselves and became whole again but in new ways, much like a collage of broken things becomes something new.
Thanks for a different spin on things.
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