A searching collection of tales about women’s quests for self-realization.
Sullivan’s debut short story collection follows modern-day women as they seek change.
In this collection, multiple female protagonists experience travel, success, changes in relationships, and journeys homeward. Many of the characters hail from or immigrate to Italy, and the stories are primarily set in Mediterranean countries. The author explores the complexities of female friendship, dissolving and abusive relationships, quests for autonomy, motherhood, widowhood, discoveries about the self, missed opportunities, envy, and careers. Most of these women find a way to thrive despite the challenges they face in a world that caters to men. Inspiring wanderlust, Sullivan’s characters visit ancient bridges, beautiful Mediterranean landscapes, wine bars, coffee shops, and museums, occasionally venturing off to farther-flung locales including Indonesia and the United States. The prose employs sensory details to establish place as the environments parallel the characters’ internal landscapes. The author takes women out of victimhood roles, allowing them—in most cases—to become agents of their own destiny. In “Stari Most,” a bridge compels a woman named Victoria to face a trauma that has haunted her relationships, leading her to repair her marriage. Valeria, the protagonist of “The Ring,” uses a found ring to enhance a potential relationship. Sullivan juggles multiple perspectives: old and young; wealthy and poor; and conservative and liberal. Occasionally, stories end too abruptly, just before the reader sees the consequences of the character’s actions. Also, while many of the dynamics between the female characters feel authentic, as in the subtle envy depicted in “Wine and Beauty” (“ ‘Look at them, with their perfect clothes and thousands spent on hair and spas. Bet they wouldn’t be agonizing over rent payments or affording college.’ The more she observed, the more resentful she felt”), there are moments when gender roles feel stereotyped, and some interactions lack nuance. Still, this is a strong body of work, and the author is unafraid to experiment, as the stories range from slices of life to near fairy tales. Sullivan’s own adventures abroad and knowledge of history provide solid grounding for her narratives
A searching collection of tales about women’s quests for self-realization.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9798986884400
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.
Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.
Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781538704431
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.
A travel writer has one last shot at reconnecting with the best friend she just might be in love with.
Poppy and Alex couldn't be more different. She loves wearing bright colors while he prefers khakis and a T-shirt. She likes just about everything while he’s a bit more discerning. And yet, their opposites-attract friendship works because they love each other…in a totally platonic way. Probably. Even though they have their own separate lives (Poppy lives in New York City and is a travel writer with a popular Instagram account; Alex is a high school teacher in their tiny Ohio hometown), they still manage to get together each summer for one fabulous vacation. They grow closer every year, but Poppy doesn’t let herself linger on her feelings for Alex—she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship or the way she can be fully herself with him. They continue to date other people, even bringing their serious partners on their summer vacations…but then, after a falling-out, they stop speaking. When Poppy finds herself facing a serious bout of ennui, unhappy with her glamorous job and the life she’s been dreaming of forever, she thinks back to the last time she was truly happy: her last vacation with Alex. And so, though they haven’t spoken in two years, she asks him to take another vacation with her. She’s determined to bridge the gap that’s formed between them and become best friends again, but to do that, she’ll have to be honest with Alex—and herself—about her true feelings. In chapters that jump around in time, Henry shows readers the progression (and dissolution) of Poppy and Alex’s friendship. Their slow-burn love story hits on beloved romance tropes (such as there unexpectedly being only one bed on the reconciliation trip Poppy plans) while still feeling entirely fresh. Henry’s biggest strength is in the sparkling, often laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, particularly the banter-filled conversations between Poppy and Alex. But there’s depth to the story, too—Poppy’s feeling of dissatisfaction with a life that should be making her happy as well as her unresolved feelings toward the difficult parts of her childhood make her a sympathetic and relatable character. The end result is a story that pays homage to classic romantic comedies while having a point of view all its own.
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.Pub Date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0675-8
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
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