Book Review: Saving Missy by Beth Morrey
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Missy Carmichael’s life has become small.
Grieving for a family she has lost or lost touch with, she’s haunted by the echoes of her footsteps in her empty home; the sound of the radio in the dark; the tick-tick-tick of the watching clock.
Spiky and defensive, Missy knows that her loneliness is all her own fault. She deserves no more than this; not after what she’s done. But a chance encounter in the park with two very different women opens the door to something new.
Another life beckons for Missy, if only she can be brave enough to grasp the opportunity. But seventy-nine is too late for a second chance. Isn’t it?
I bought Saving Missy because I’d read somewhere that if you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (you can read my review of this book here), then you’d enjoy Saving Missy.
Personally I find it hard to compare the two. Whilst I enjoyed Saving Missy, giving it three out of five stars on GoodReads, I just can’t compare the two books. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is, in my opinion, an exceptional book. Saving Missy doesn’t quite hit that mark, but I did enjoy it.
I will also say that the hardback version is absolutely beautiful!
Saving Missy does indeed tell the story of a lady called Missy who finds herself suddenly opening up to new opportunities as a result of meeting two women.
Before meeting these women, Missy was lonely. Her husband gone, her son living in Australia and having fallen on bad terms with her daughter, Missy thinks it’s all that she deserves. She’s 79 years old, lonely and living with plenty of regrets.
Her unlikely friendship with Sylvie, her friend Angela and Angela’s son, Otis, is a heartfelt story of growing old. Otis reminds Angela of her grandson, Arthur, whom she doesn’t see very often because he lives in Australia with his parents.
I found this book to me more of a journey through life than having an actual story line as such. I find that’s the best way I can describe it. I enjoyed it, though at times found it slow going. Some times I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next, but other times it was a struggle to get through.
As we follow Missy in her journey through life we learn about her younger days at university, life as a young mum, her relationship with her own parents and grandparents and how she met her husband, Leo. Missy shares her memories throughout the book in little flashbacks and we start to learn more of who she is.
It’s not a book I’d read again in a hurry, but I’m glad I have read it. It was enjoyable enough to keep me reading, but not quite enough to have me raving about it!
