I loved The Storied Life of AJ Fikry and was equally charmed by Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (I can’t find my review to link, but it was a 4.5 star read for me) so when I realized Gabrielle Zevin actually wrote a book between those, I purchased it immediately. The story revolves around a Monica Lewinsky-esque scandal in Florida’s political scene and the ripple effect it had on the women involved. There’s Rachel Grossman, a feisty mother still dealing with the impact of her daughter’s illicit and very public affair while also navigating senior citizen Boca bitchiness. Then we have Jane Young, whose parenting style is a 180 from Aviva’s and who has worked extremely hard to no longer draw attention to herself. Jane’s daughter Ruby is a precocious kid dying to uncover her mom’s secrets. Embeth Levin is a stoic political wife determined to remove herself from the narrative. And then there’s Aviva Grossman, Rachel’s daughter, who has thrown all their lives into disarray.
The fact that I described the plot as “Monica Lewinsky-esque” tells you everything you need to know about how our society works. It’s been decades and I’m still programmed to ignore the role the man plays in all this. Zevin forces us to consider all aspects of a young woman involved in a scandal like this. What happens when she is viewed as a daughter…or a student…or a mother…or a friend. Which role makes her the victim and which the predator? And what about all the women in her orbit? When are they supporting her and when do they contribute to her downfall – and how can we shift that? Sounds heavy, but this was actually a light, quick read. When a book can accomplish both, I’m more than sold.
4.75 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: A glass of chardonnay
Peaches to Apples 