Authors: Glendy Vanderah
Genre: Literary Fiction
Published: 2019
Rating: 4 stars
Summary
After losing her mother to cancer and dealing with her health concerns, Jo is ready to dive deep into her work. She spends her days traipsing through the wild to follow a local bird species. Far from the prying eyes of her PhD peers, she finds a little peace. But, this new way of life doesn’t go completely to plan.
Just a few weeks in, Jo meets a peculiar creature. Stepping forth into the firelight is a little girl who claims she’s an alien. While Jo doesn’t fall for the ruse, she becomes deeply concerned for the girl. Where did she come from? How did she get the bruises? Despite Jo’s best efforts, she gains nothing from the girl but an odd friendship.
When another local gets involved, things quickly become complicated. Together, the two try to care for their girl making sure she has a place to stay and food to eat. They attempt to find her family with little success and the young girl remains completely silent on the subject. They soon become a semblance of a family spending their days in a sweet reality. But, this reality can’t last forever.
Family and then authorities get involved finally bringing the mystery of this charming little girl to light. I’ll keep the ending a secret, but confirm it de leave you with the warm fuzzy feeling you’re hoping for. Things always have a way of working out in the end, don’t they?
Themes
Illness and Loss
While diving back into research, Jo wrestles with the loss of her mother and the implications it had on her health. Her mother passed from cancer and that loss was unbearable. In the months following, Jo received her diagnosis and underwent significant treatment as well. These two significant life changes have left Jo a completely different woman. Throughout the book, she wrestles with who she was and who she has become.
Mental Health
While Jo undergoes her process of grief, her neighbor and partner in crime struggles with depression. He has mostly good days, but when a bad day pops up his overbearing family gets involved. They struggle to understand his needs and expectations during these low moments choosing to take over everything rather than find ways to help him cope. They walk around concerned he’ll go back to that dark place and never make it back. When life intervenes, they’re forced to face this challenge head-on and find new ways of coping.
Quotes
“The hazel eyes in the mirror mocked her. But who was reflected there, the old Jo or the new almost Jo? She gripped the sink and bowed her head, staring into the dark tunnel of the drain. Maybe this was how it would be from now on, two versions of herself living inside one body.”
“’Happy Birthday to Eleanor Teale, the flower whisperer who made everyone and everything around her bloom. Her light is still with us, growing love across the universe.’”
“She had most of the books that belonged to her parents, and she read passages from them every night before she fell asleep or when she had insomnia. As she read, her fingers touched the same pages theirs had touched, her father and mother were right there with her.”
“And her garden… it was gorgeous, a wilderness of flowers and ponds and trees in the middle of suburbia.”
“’When I knew my mother would be dead in a few months, I had two choices…’ She looked at him. ‘I could distance myself from the pain or get closer to it.’”
Final Thoughts
As I started reading, I realized I had already read this book before. Somehow it remained labeled as unread by Kindle in my library. While I recognized some pieces, I was relieved the ending remained a mystery. And, I am so happy I gave this one another read.
The idea of a small alien landing on Earth left me confused as to what I was getting myself into. The further I read, though, the more captivated I became with Jo’s story. The characters are incredible, and full of depth as they face the struggles of everyday living. I loved every minute and was grateful for the happy ending.
If you’re looking for a sweet read to remind you of the beauty of humanity, give this one a try!
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About the Author
Hello, fellow bibliophiles! I’m Aubrey, the current voice behind A Novel Philosophy.
Since the day I could first string letters into words, I’ve been captivated by the written word. I love the power and emotion a single phrase can elicit, and don’t get me started on the incredible characters I’ve met along the way. There’s something so unique about watching a story unfold page after page.
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