Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes

This novel by Moyes was a bit different than her previous trilogy, Me before You, in that it really explores the relationships among women. The issue that gives the title its context is that a very middle class London women mistakenly picks up the wrong bag at the gym that belonged to a very wealthy New Yorker. Nisha, the American has a pair of very expensive Christian Louboutin red heelsin her bag, which Sam, the Londoner, discovers when she reaches for her shoes as she changes out of her flip flops on her way to a work meeting. The event sets into motion the moves that both try to recover their own bag and the shoes that were in them.

Despite their differences in background and monetary status, it becomes obvious that both women are desperately trying to hold their lives together. Nisha is a trophy wife whom her husband, Carl, is trying to shove out of their marriage and Sam is trying to hold it all together with a husband who is living in a depressed state and who, as breadwinner, is fighting a misogynistic boss who is looking for every reason to fire her. In addition she is a supporting friend to Andrea, who has been battling cancer and mother to Cat, a nineteen year old who has maturity beyond her age and can give a voice to her mother. 

After the mix-up at the gym, Nisha returns to the luxury hotel penthouse where she finds that Carl has locked her out holding her clothes, credit card, and passport hostage and is served divorce papers. As she is ejected from the hotel, she is befriended by Jasmine, a housekeeper there and is given a chance for employment. She has to clean toilets, which is a foul task to a woman used to the finer things in life. When Nisha is evicted from the budget hotel in which she had been staying, she moves in with Jasmine and her daughter, Gracie. A cold, self-centered woman, when confronted with her present circumstances, Nisha begins to soften a bit as she has to rely on others. 

Sam is beyond wit's end as she tries to deal with her boss and her husband as she is watching her marriage deteriorate. When Nisha confronts her at work and accuses her of stealing the shoes, Sam's boss has the ammunition that he needs to fire her. Eventually, the two become set on finding the shoes that Cat has delivered to a charity shop and alliances and friendships are formed as Andrea, Jasmine join the alliance. 

This was a complex novel that had at its heart many themes that are so important to the women - friendship, treatment of women, and contrition and change. The characters are well developed and layered. The reader witnesses how they change and how they influence change around them. It is complex and even thought there are some predictable and implausible happenstances, it is a great read.

Long Island by Colm Tóibín

Long Island  is the sequel to Tóibín's Brooklyn. At the end of that novel Eilis Lacey had decided to leave her native Ireland at the end of a sojourn there from Brooklyn.This was despite the fact that she would miss her mother, her best friend, Nancy, and the man with whom she had rekindled romance despite the fact that she was secretly married.

Nearly twenty years later Tóibín's latest novel picks up her life in New York with husband, Tony, in their Lindenhurst home on Long Island. They are the parents of two teenagers, Rosella and Larry. But then Tóibín drops the bomb that will change the course of her life. A man appears at her home alleging that while on a plumbing job at his home, Tony has had an encounter with his wife who is now pregnant with his child. It is the man's intention that when the baby is born, he will be dropping it on the doorstep of her home. Eilis will have not part of this and the scheme that her mother-in-law and Tony have devised. 

She needs time to mull over this situation and decides to head back to Ireland and the comfort of Enniscorthy. It will be time to spend with her mother and after a few weeks to bring Larry and Rosella over to meet their Irish grandmother. In that time she reconnects with Nancy and Nancy's planning of her daughter's wedding. And of course in that vein, she also rekindles her friendship with Jim Farrell, owner of a local pub. Long Island actually becomes a novel, not only about Eilis, but of her friends and the people of Enniscorthy. There are secrets that are exposed and secrets that are kept. At times we know their innermost thoughts and at other times, we can only guess.

The novel engages the reader from the get-go and doesn't let go until the end. It was a read that immerses a person in a place faraway with people who struggle with ordinary life and tragedy. It is one of those books that a reader can't wait to see the plot resolved, but at the same time does not want it to end. It bodes well that there might be another Eilis Lacey work to come.

 What a delightful evening it was on 16 September when Colm spoke. He has an incredible sense of humor and really gave insight into his books. 

 

I'll Push You by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck

An incredible account of a journey shared by two men, Patrick and Justin, who had been boyhood friends. Justin had seen a Rick Steves program on the Carmino Santiago, a pilgrimage route of 500 miles in Spain. It leads to the Cathedral at Campostella where it is said that the bones of the Apostle James are buried. Justin was intrigued and decided that he would like to embark on this journey. There was one issue that proved daunting. Justin had been diagnosed with a neurological disease a number of years earlier that left him without use of his arms or legs. He would have to do the journey in a wheel chair. He asked his Patrick if he would accompany him and he agreed. 

The two planned the trip - ordering a specially made chair for Justin and getting the blessings of their wives and children. The book is a diary of that journey with some flashbacks to the history of their friendship and lives. It was eye-opening to read of their struggles and joys as they hiked the trails, many of which were just rocky paths. They met many other pilgrims along the way who helped them and became friends. 

It was an interesting book, but I wished that it had been more descriptive of the towns along the way. However, it was more devoted to faith, belief and the Christian way. There is a documentary that was produced from the videography that was taken on the journey. It further emphasized the ruggedness of the trails and the tribulations that were encountered. 

A quick read for those who may want to bolster their belief in the human spirit.   

A Christmas Memory by Richad Paul Evans

Our Book Club always tries to pick a lighter Christmas book for December and this year it was A Christmas Memory. The book begins with the narrator, Richard a young boy in 1967 losing his older brother Mark in the Viet Nam War. This event leads to the stress and turmoil in family relationships that results in the separation of his parents. 

Richard's father blames himself for his son's death and has a hard time meeting the demands of his job and the support of his family. This forces them to move from southern California back to the home of his mother in Salt Lake City. They are fortunate to be able to move into his grandmother's house, rat infested that it was. Concurrent with that move, his father gets his own place and his mother becomes the only parent in charge. However, she is distraught with guilt and spends most of her time in her room, coming out only to sporadically prepare food for Richard. 

Living next door to Richard is Mr. Foster, an elderly man who is virtually a recluse. At the first snowfall, Richard shovels his driveway, but does not see the beneficiary of his actions. It is only when Mr. Foster sees a number of Richard's classmates bullying him verbally and physically does he make an appearance to scare them off. Their friendship has been solidified, helped also by Mr. Foster's dog, Beau that Richard walks. It is a precious relationship with each benefiting from it in just the way they need to. 

Right before Christmas there is another startling revelation when Richard's teacher announces to the class that there is no Santa Claus. Ms. Covey is a horrible teacher who does not seem to like children and has made school a real chore for Richard. When another family crisis happens, Richard loses hope until he and Mr. Foster have some heart-to-heart talks. 

There is much wisdom imparted by this book and some very poignant scenes. In the end there is hope and life to live. As we discussed this at our Christmas luncheon, most admitted we shed a tear, but were buoyed by the end. A fast, heartwarming book.