I didn’t choose this book, it was a gift, hence it’s not perhaps the type of book I would usually read. However I have to say I did keep turning the pages. It doesn’t really have a strong narrative, more the ongoing musings of Reta the main protagonist as she goes through a period of her life including the “loss” of someone close to her, and her ongoing career as a budding author. However the descriptions of the characters, and small details of their lives are beautifully done. I felt the internalised thoughts of Reta about why her daughter had “dropped out of life” and started living on the street didn’t really say a lot to me and the eventual resolution seemed a bit abrupt and perhaps forced. Overall though, worth consuming, and also in this day of 700 page novels it was nice to have something more brief and concise. I would consider another of Carol Shields books.