Talking to the Dead
In her first novel, author Bonnie Grove offers readers a tender, quirky story about grief—and second chances
Twenty something Kate Davis can't seem to get this grieving-widow thing down. She's supposed to put on a brave face and get on with her life, right? Instead she's camped out on her living-room floor, unwashed, unkempt, and unable to sleep because her husband, Kevin, keeps talking to her.Is she losing her mind? Kate's attempts to find the source of the voice she hears are both humorous and humiliating, as she turns first to an 'eclectically spiritual' counselor, then to a shrink with a bad toupee, a mean-spirited exorcist, and finally group therapy. There she meets Jack, the warmhearted, unconventional pastor of a ramshackle church, and at last the voice subsides. But when she stumbles upon a secret Kevin was keeping, Kate's fragile hold on the present threatens to implode under the weight of the past ...and Kevin begins to shout.Will the voice ever stop? Kate must confront her grief to find the grace to go on in this tender, quirky story about second chances.
What did I think? I really, really enjoyed this novel. I mean, I really enjoyed it. I finished it in one day, stopping only to feed and care for my children. Now, it's not that unusual for me to read a book in 24 hours, but usually it's just because I want to get it done. This book...by a fellow Canadian I might add...drew me in. And kept me there.
I'm a bit of a psychology wanna be. Understanding why people do what they do fascinates me...I'm always analyzing things like that. Grove, who has a background in psychology, fed my interest in this novel. And while I can't claim to have come through the type of grief that the main character in this story did, it still seemed believable to me. And the ending (which you know I have a thing about) was happy...but not sappy. I liked that.
I highly recommend this book, definitely a good read.
This book was provided to me by David C Cook for an impartial review
This book was provided to me by David C Cook for an impartial review
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