Publication Date May 7, 2024
Some days, I wonder if maybe being retired and slowing things down in my life has affected my taste in reading. I used to like digging in to “literary novels,” but these days I find what my friend calls “one night stands” (mysteries and thrillers you can binge in a day or two) more my thing. Well, that and snarky political essays. In any case, thanks to Zando/SJP Lit and NetGalley, I received a copy of Alina Grabowski’s novel Women and Children First in exchange for my honest review, and I was eager to read it after seeing a couple of good reviews and reading the publisher’s blurb.
It’s oddly structured. It is actually ten interlinked stories, told chronologically, by ten different women, each of whom has a connection to Lucy, a young woman who dies at a house party in the decaying coastal town in Massachusetts. As the stories go on, the reader learns about the town and the various factors that affect everyone – particularly the storytellers. There are some fairly intense relationships and situations, including family dynamics, sexual abuse, and grooming. Not a light, frothy story for sure! Issues include the impact of social media, and class and wealth and how they impact a town that seems to have been spiraling downward for years.
Well written, ingenious storytelling, but TBH I just didn’t care enough about any of the people…even thought once or twice that Lucy was possibly the lucky one to have gotten out of a terrible place. Three stars.