Two women running away from their marriages collide on a foggy highway, killing one of them. The survivor is left to pick up the pieces, not only of her own life, but also must go back and deal with the devastated husband and fragile, asthmatic son the other woman left behind. Together, they try to solve the mystery of where April was running to, and why.
This insomniac's opinion:
This is the second Caroline Leavitt novel that I have read and this is what I have learned: do not start one of her novels before bedtime, because you will stay up all night reading and be very, very tired in the morning. This novel was compulsively readable. Every character was flawed, yet like able. I read many parts through tears, desperately blinking away the tears so that I didn't miss a moment.
I do have to admit that I did not love everything about this novel. The ending, while more realistic than the romantic ending that the reader hopes for, was unsatisfying to me (I won't say much more, as I don't want to spoil the experience for someone who has not yet read this novel). I also felt that there were some inconsistencies in the characters, particularly April, who was portrayed simultaneously as a wonderful and detached mother. However, I did feel that overall the characterizations and the writing were wonderful. Another win for Caroline Leavitt!
Worth staying up all night to read?
Well, I sure did!
Rating: 4 stars
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