How to Read a Book by Monica
Wood centers around the lives of 3 main characters: Violet, Harriet and Frank.
Violet Powell has just been suddenly released from prison
after serving 22 months for manslaughter. She is transitioning to an apartment
in Portland, Maine – a city where she doesn’t know anyone. She is feeling lost
and lonely in her new home. Rejected by her family after being release, Violet
carries with her a sense of shame over killing a woman in a drunk-driving crash.
Under these circumstances, I have sympathy for Violet and her situation.
Retiree Harriet Larson runs a book club in the prison
where Violet was incarcerated. Harriet considers this club her retirement
project since it makes her feel useful and needed. She likes the women in the
club and accepts them for who they are. Oddly enough, she gains a sense of
belonging among them. Instead of seeing as inmates or criminals, Harriet sees
them as readers like herself. Likewise, the ladies in the club affectionately
called her “Booky”. Violet was a member of the club as well.
The kind-hearted Frank was married to Lorraine Daigle,
Violet’s victim in the car accident. He is experiencing what appears to be severe
grief over his wife’s death. For his own mental well-being and to give him a
sense of purpose, he takes a job as a handyman at Wadsworth Books – the same
store where Harriet selects books for the club.
One ordinary day, these 3 individuals lives intersect at
Wadsworth Books. What will the fallout be from these coincidental encounters?
How will Frank react to seeing Violet again? It may not be what you would
expect as details of the Daigles’ marriage come to light.
An intriguing aspect of this book is that it offers 2
different perspectives on prison life and what comes after incarceration. One
from Harriet who makes insightful observations about what she sees as a prison
volunteer. The other from Violet who is actually living that reality. However,
my favorite parts of this novel are when Violet is working in the university
lab directly with the African gray parrots. These chapter are fascinating, fun
and full of joy.
How to Read a Book was
recommended to me by one of the Banterers. (A Banterer is someone on this
blog’s e-mailing list.) I sincerely thank her for the suggestion. It is a
really good book with a lovely, thoughtful ending.
No guarantees, but I think the next book I review will be
Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey. This book was just
published a few weeks ago at the time this particular blog is being posted. If
you have happened to have read it in that short amount of time, please let me
know what you thought of it.
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