The Road to Tender Hearts
By Annie Hartnett ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 7.5/10 "" 'What's going to happen to us?' Luna asked the cat. 'What is going to happen to me and my brother?' Suffering, the cat answered. And joy."..."
By Annie Hartnett
★★★★★★★½☆☆ 7.5/10
365 pages
What’s it about?
P.J. Halliday is sixty-three years old and has seen some extremes in his life. He has had losses- his eldest daughter, his ex-wife, and his sobriety. But he and Ivy have remained close, and his daughter Sophie is still in town. He also won the lottery, and that has been a comfort in its own way. When P.J. suddenly learns he has been named guardian to two children he has never met, he takes it in stride and determines to do better. He also decides he will take them on a road trip to begin their summer. Luckily, his daughter Sophie decides to tag along. What can go wrong?
What did it make me think about?
Second chances.
Should I read it?
I have read both of Annie Hartnett's previous novels and enjoyed them both. Annie Hartnett finds the humor in the most difficult everyday situations, and that is a gift. "But siblings did fucked up things to each other, didn't they? It was part of the rules. It was why kids with siblings were lucky. They made you tough against the rest of the world." This story was a bit convoluted for the first 75 pages. Lots of wacky characters and a lot going on. It evens out as the novel goes on, so do not panic. If you like a story with some humor, then discover Annie Hartnett.
A passage I marked
" 'What's going to happen to us?' Luna asked the cat. 'What is going to happen to me and my brother?'
Suffering, the cat answered. And joy."
