by Victoria Redel
Viking, 2017. 274 pages General Fiction.
Anna and her tight knit groups of lifelong friends have seen each other through just about everything, from their youthful rebellions, parenting adventures, lost loves, and bouts of sickness. The group gathers at Anna’s home as her terminal illness worsens and she enters hospice care. Each friend must come to terms with what a life without their Anna in it looks like, and the unforeseen ways her impact on their lives helps them carry her spark with them, while getting to know others whose lives have been touched by her as well.
While I wanted to love this story, but it was hard for me to connect with or care about most of the characters. There are so many friends and persons whose paths have crossed with Anna’s, that few of the relationships are given more than a surface level examination. That said, the writing is beautiful and thoughtful, and I enjoyed the glimpse the book gave into the ways that one person’s life can have such a broad impact on others. It reminds readers that kindness goes a long way and that you never know what impact you may have on those you interact with from day to day, and the importance of making that a positive legacy that you leave after you’re gone.
RC
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