Book Reco # 16: Writers & Lovers by Lily King
A story about a relatable female protagonist you'll certainly root for.
Hello Reader!
Let me tell you about the most recent book that gave me a good, cathartic cry. I loved it so much that I can’t stop underlining!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 stars
W&L talks about grief, female ambition, and defining self-worth when we can’t align with society’s timeline. Casey is a 31 year old waitress buried deep in debt, just lost her mother, and is struggling to finish her 6 year old novel. All of her writer friends have moved on from creating “The Next Great American Novel” and pursued fancier, well-paying jobs. But Casey sticks to her writing. Despite every change she’s been through, the novel was the only constant thing in her life. We follow Casey’s life as she balances making art and earning a living. We get a glimpse of her love life where she needed to choose between two men. If it weren’t for the grief part, this would have been an excellent rom-com movie! Even though there were a couple of clichés, I didn’t mind.
The story has no major arc. Instead, it tells us about a woman just trying to find her way in life while dealing with her writing, her day job, relationships, and grief over her mother.
King introduces many characters here that I got confused about who was who all the time. Some of the minor characters weren’t distinct, and I kept forgetting who they were and what their role was. One of the characters I absolutely liked is Casey’s mother. A small-town revolutionary who fought for the things she believed in. She was also the inspiration for Casey’s novel. We get to see Casey’s relationship with her mother before she died. It’s one of the best fictional mother-daughter relationships I have ever read.
I finished this book at 8 am and 5 hours later, I was still crying. A good, cathartic cry. Also, when I read this book, I was so stressed out at work that all the feelings came pouring in. I guess that’s the beauty of this book. It brings out all your emotions. The prose is lyrical, and every sentence is wonderfully written. Since this book is about writers, there’s a lot of talk here about good books and recommendations.
Let me leave this review with this quote that resonates with me.
“Tomorrow after you leave I will stand here at this window and remember that yesterday you were right here with me. And now she’s dead and I have that feeling all the time, no matter where I stand.”
The dead is never truly gone. They will always be inside of you. As long as you don’t forget.
What I’m Reading This Week..
I'm still reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, and it's a really thick book! I am also listening to You're That Bitch: & Other Cute Lessons about Being Unapologetically Yourself by Bretman Rock. I loved Bretman Rock since his early days. Like ever since he was a skinny high schooler. Like Bretman, I also grew up with my extended family living within a few steps of each other. He's so funny and relatable. I can relate to the family dynamics and environment he grew up in.
