How to Read a Book

 

By- Monica Wood

    I found this book while browsing on the Goodreads app, I did not read anything more than the title and decided I was going to read it. However, reality had different plans for me because I did not see the book in person anywhere. It wasn't in any local bookstores, Walmart, Target, it was not even in my faithful library. I gave up looking and months later it showed up at the library, checked it out right away and it became the next book for me to read. I was surprised however, by the actual content of the novel, it was far from what I expected. 

    Harriet Larson is a retired teacher and widow, she runs a book club for inmates at the local women's prison. Harriet loves reading, however there is a certain way to read a book. She does her best to help these women on how to properly read a book, as well as find books that connect with these women stuck in prison. Violet Powell is a young woman in prison for driving drunk and causing an accident that killed a beloved teacher. Violet is getting out of prison and trying to find her way through the world after causing such a tragedy. Spending years imagining getting out of prison and what that would mean, do not prepare her for the actuality of reality. Frank Daigle is a retired machinist plagued by past, memories of his marriage and wife that he lost. He finds peace and purpose at the local bookstore doing maintenance and handywork, loved and admired by workers and patrons with his gentle demeaner and hard work ethic. Three separate lives all with their own struggles and stories have more in common than we know. 

    A wonderfully surprising book, the cover and title did not prepare me for what I was going to read. I believe it improved my reading experience, with every page I went with the characters and felt and saw things for the first time just as it would have happened for the main characters. I am not sure if I would have chosen to read the book if I knew what it was about, however, after reading the book I am really glad I did. The author does a great job building the characters, world build is not relevant because it is based on our own time and reality. The three main characters are beautifully written, so much so that I wish they were real. The author does a great job making us feel the complicated emotions of women in prison or recently released from prison. I highly recommend this book to everyone, there is something for everyone in this book, forgiveness, humor, pain, grief, and more. If I had to voice anything that might be a flaw it would be the book is relativity simple, the world is small and simple. However, I do not believe it takes away from the value of the book and I highly recommend to any reader.