The Second Sister
By: Marie Bostwick
Rating: 5 of 5
“The Second Sister” is a touching story about a young woman who has lost her way and the road she takes in order to find home again. It is the first book I have read by Marie Bostwick though it is her tenth full length novel.
I was entranced by the author’s use of language – she is able to paint a visual scene just by use of letters on a page. I could see the town of Nilson’s Bay though I have never been to that part of the country. I could envision each of the individuals as if I had met them. The image of the town and the inhabitants will stay with me for a long time, I am sure.
Beyond the visual, the author was also able to breathe life into these characters for me. I know who Lucy Toomey is – I’ve actually been her – for too many years of my life, I lived to work instead of working to live. I could feel her physical tension as she suddenly had no work to do and her pent up energy had no outlet. The other women in this book are bits and pieces of women I have known throughout my life. The need of a craft for a meeting point and a meditation has been with me, too. My craft is different (needlework) but the process is the same – there is something so soothing and right with being involved in the creation of something.
This is the story of Lucy Toomey and that of her late sister, Alice. Lucy must stay in their childhood home for a period of time in order to inherit it. She is ready to walk away from it and get back to her life in the fast lane but others make sure that she thinks twice about it and decides to make the commitment to stay for the shortest amount of time needed. While the story deals with many serious subjects, there is humor also included. I laughed at the antics of the cats, Freckles and Dave, as they reminded me so much of my own cats.
Once the decision is made, she is set on a journey of discovering who and what her sister truly was. She also confronts both her past and her sister’s past in ways she never thought of. To be honest, I had figured out the ending of this story quite early on in the book but as it wasn’t a mystery, it didn’t bother me a bit. I was happy to go on the journey with Ms. Bostwick and Lucy and let her find her way at her own pace.
I read in the after notes that Ms. Bostwick might be open to writing more stories about these individuals and I sincerely hope that is the case. I would love to know more about the women who make up the FOA (Friends of Alice) as well as some others who are introduced in the book. In any case, I will certainly be reading more books by this author in the future. It is always a delight and a privilege to find a new (to me) author whose words touch and have an impact on my life.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a slice of life story that has a realistic story and deeper meaning.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via the publisher.
“The Second Sister” is a touching story about a young woman who has lost her way and the road she takes in order to find home again. It is the first book I have read by Marie Bostwick though it is her tenth full length novel.