The Future
She Left Behind. Marin Thomas. Penguin Publishing Group. September 2017. 336 pp. ISBN #: 9780451476302.
Katelyn
Pratt’s life moves from sedate satisfaction into a whirlwind question mark when
her husband, after twenty years of marriage, has divorce papers served on
Katelyn. He’s found a new, young love
and left his wife with his mother, who is probably the most annoying woman in
the world of St. Louis. Shirley Pratt is
a snob who is constantly mocking or correcting her daughter-in-law. But her husband has decided the house will go
up for sale and his mother will move into a senior apartment complex that Shirley
decides isn’t ready yet for the way she wants it. Result: she has to stay with her
daughter-in-law until the apartment is ready.
Katelyn decides to take a trip back to her hometown in Little Springs,
Texas. The only problem is that Shirley
has to go with her because her son is too busy with his new girlfriend.
This
is the crux of this funny but frustrating novel. However, Shirley is about to meet her match
with Katelyn’s mother, Birdie. Although
Birdie gave up her dreams, like Katelyn did, she’s no shrinking violet. She puts up with Shirley’s comments to a
point but then is an expert at shifting the topic. At the same time, Katelyn meets an old love,
Jack, and other events happen to make her take a long look at what works and
what doesn’t work in a good life.
This
is a novel about transformation, leaving behind loneliness and embracing the
fact that connections with other people is not fraught with fear and rejection.
Instead Katelyn and Shirley will evolve with new experiences and reflection on attitudes
and errors from the past.
Despite
the frustration, this is a delightful story that this reader found very
enjoyable and recommends as a contemporary, very real story that speaks to
families anywhere in the world!
