'The Saving Graces' By Patricia Gaffney
I read this book as a teenager, and here I am reading it in my twenties. I wish I had written a review back then so that I could compare what I thought about the strong characters (in terms of love, sex, friendship and marriage) with what I'm thinking now.
Did I enjoy it?
'The saving Graces' is a teary-eyed story like Amazon puts it. It got me hmming and ahhing.
'The saving Graces' is a teary-eyed story like Amazon puts it. It got me hmming and ahhing.
It centres around four women whose friendship has been for ten years and counting. (Remember I talked about friendship on Wednesday? Yeah, that's where I got the inspiration).
Emma, Rudy, Lee and Isabel has kept the friendship going strong for more than ten years (Ten years. Can this be a reality?). It's not like they are chatting on BBM, tweeting at one another, or something. They make out time to regularly get together for real talk, dinner, and mutual support. They literally share, connect and encourage one another.
I find it fascinating that women can come together in love and togetherness without jealousy, hypocrisy or competition. It's lovely. Nice story. Great lessons.
I'm just glad I have this book. It's funny how the message becomes clear to me here. Now. (And I'm like "what did I think about this book when I read it years ago?" "Did I enjoy it as much as I do now?"). Well, I guess friendship starts to mean something deeper as we grow older. Right?
I like the four women differently. Each of them have their strengths, weaknesses and struggles.
Isabel - the oldest among them. Almost saintly in appearance and action. She is like the mother of the group. She is married to Gary but as the story evolves, she’s divorced. Isabel is recovering from breast cancer. She is very ill.
Lee - the "sanest" one I'd agree. Almost knowing about everything. She is very practical and professional. She is happily married to Henry, a sweet man. She desperately wants to have a baby, but can’t get pregnant.
Rudy - the most beautiful and attractive (tall and sexy). She is married to a manipulative husband, Curtis. She is seeing a therapist to overcome family traumas. She is also trying to live to please her husband - even when it means letting go of her dreams.
Emma - the 'unserious' and silliest one. She is talented and creative, but very lazy. She is single, a journalist, and sometimes a writer. She really wants to get married. I see a lot of my personality traits in Emma. Scary. :)
I loved this book. Have I said it before? Oh. A little emphasis isn't bad. *winks* You'd have to pay me to borrow it. (See other books)
FRIENDSHIP IS A GIFT.
The fact that each woman can depend on the others for support, so that they went through all life throws at them is inspiring. True friendship is therapeutic and encouraging. When crises come, they’re all there to pitch in with help, love, support, affection, and food. Yeah, that's a plus. They eat through it together.
This is fiction. But I believe it can be real. What do you think?
Thanks for reading, sweeties. Today is Good Friday!
Written by Nwamaka Ajaegbu
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Heart Rays . . .giving out the light.
