The Thing Is. Kathleen
Gerard. Red Adept Publishing. December 2015. 276 pp. ISBN#: 9781940215587.
Meredith
Mancuso is fiercely grieving as her fiancé has passed away. She used to be a successful novelist whose
romances and stories were and are best sellers that it seems everyone knows.
But Meredith has become a recluse and is ignoring calls from her agent and
publisher because she’s just so bogged down in sadness. It’s more than grieving; it’s rock solid
depression. That is until her
accountant, CPA, numbers driven sister, Monica, rings her door – or actually is
banging on the door like she’s going to break it down if Meredith doesn’t open
up. Before Meredith can blink her eyes,
Monica is pushing a furry dog into her arms – a Yorkshire terrier called yes,
Prozac!
This
then is the story of Meredith’s baby-sitting venture with Prozac whom she is
constantly trying to get rid of but whose attachment slowly but surely grows
immensely – albeit pushed by bribery, threats of imprisonment for doggie abuse,
and other hilarious scenes that are sheer delightful reading!
For
Prozac is a “Spirit Guide Dog,” that is one who is sensitive to the moods and
feelings of wounded folks and able to heal them with his vibrant, loving
presence. He has a weekly schedule – he
actually belongs to Meredith’s aunt who is recovering from surgery - of
visiting but I won’t spoil that but let you discover the craziness of each spot
they visit. Of course, Meredith
doesn’t really realize that she’s a tough project for Prozac but he gives her a
healthy dose of her own stubborn rejection which is absolutely hysterical.
The Thing Is has no linear plot; it just
happens. While that might trouble some
readers, it is actually pleasant to just “go with it” along with Meredith and
Prozac. It’s a nice, light read that
you’ll want to re-read just to enjoy the laughs all over again! Nicely done, K.
Gerard!
