FICTION

Pieces of Happiness

by Anne Ostby
Doubleday. Aug. 2017. 320p. tr. from Norwegian by Marie Ostby. ISBN 9780385542807. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385542814. F
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Ostby's debut novel is rich with imagery, female connections and friendships, self-reflection, and second chances. Kat, recently widowed, invites her former four best friends from high school, who are all now in their 60s, to live with her in Fiji on a cocoa farm. What may seem odd and even a bit unrealistic turns out to be just what Sina, Maya, Ingrid, and Lisbeth need. Each woman has struggled with the realities of what her life has turned out to be at this stage—whether it's financial woes, keeping up appearances, or deeper-rooted issues. Being together under the care of Kat's housekeeper Ateca is the nurturing and caring environment necessary to evaluate things and take steps forward to have the authentic and honest lives they want—and, most important, to be happy in those lives.
VERDICT A fantastical novel that, though wonderfully crafted for the characters, may prove hard for a reader to embrace. Great for indulging "the suspension of disbelief" with a unique setting, plot, and characters.
Reviewed by Anne M. Miskewitch, Harold Washington Lib. Ctr., Chicago P.L. , Jul 07, 2017
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