Totally heartwarming and downright lovely! Grab your tissues!
Firstly thank you so much Readers First for my copy of Saving Missy by Beth Morrey. I can truthfully say from the bottom of my heart that I absolutely loved this book - it was a one day read that I just didn't want to put down!
The story is multi-layered, but focuses on Millicent, known as Missy to very limited family. Missy is an elderly lady, who lives a rather lonely and isolated life, but one day makes the decision to go to the park to watch the fish being stunned before they are moved out of the park pond! This one decision sets off a whole train of events that challenge Missy to step beyond the very limited boundaries of 'her comfort' and expand her life.
The story moves back and forth across timelines, current day and Missy's youth, from her childhood to meeting her husband Leo and the progress of their relationship to current day. The book doesn't shy away from the complicated relationships that she has with her children, but it is executed very cleverly...leading you to believe things that are latterly proven incorrect.
The book itself examines friendships, community, dog walking and the dog walking community, which as a dog owner I found surprisingly and happily accurate. Missy's relationship with Bob/Bobby is in itself a complicated thing, that Missy examines rigorously against her own academic background.
I was intrigued by all the greek references, many of I have noted for future analysis and understanding.
The book itself is at times heart-rending, but nothing is done simply to extract a response. The plot is well-written, the characters are engaging and often prove that you definitely can't tell a book by it's cover. The book itself brought me to tears on a couple of occasions and it is definitely one I would highly recommend and in no way is Missy one of those delicately goody two shoes protagonists, she's very, very real and I loved her all the more for it.
All in all, a heart-tugging, emotional, joyous, uniting and uplifting read that appeals on multiple levels. If you're looking for a book to bring something wonderful and whole-heartedly endearing into your world, without being sickeningly sweet then this is the book for you.
The story is multi-layered, but focuses on Millicent, known as Missy to very limited family. Missy is an elderly lady, who lives a rather lonely and isolated life, but one day makes the decision to go to the park to watch the fish being stunned before they are moved out of the park pond! This one decision sets off a whole train of events that challenge Missy to step beyond the very limited boundaries of 'her comfort' and expand her life.
The story moves back and forth across timelines, current day and Missy's youth, from her childhood to meeting her husband Leo and the progress of their relationship to current day. The book doesn't shy away from the complicated relationships that she has with her children, but it is executed very cleverly...leading you to believe things that are latterly proven incorrect.
The book itself examines friendships, community, dog walking and the dog walking community, which as a dog owner I found surprisingly and happily accurate. Missy's relationship with Bob/Bobby is in itself a complicated thing, that Missy examines rigorously against her own academic background.
I was intrigued by all the greek references, many of I have noted for future analysis and understanding.
The book itself is at times heart-rending, but nothing is done simply to extract a response. The plot is well-written, the characters are engaging and often prove that you definitely can't tell a book by it's cover. The book itself brought me to tears on a couple of occasions and it is definitely one I would highly recommend and in no way is Missy one of those delicately goody two shoes protagonists, she's very, very real and I loved her all the more for it.
All in all, a heart-tugging, emotional, joyous, uniting and uplifting read that appeals on multiple levels. If you're looking for a book to bring something wonderful and whole-heartedly endearing into your world, without being sickeningly sweet then this is the book for you.