The mystery portion is intriguing - a puzzle from the past that can be pieced together leisurely - and I didn't solve it on my own. It's the "comic" tag that confuses me. I'm not revealing any secrets to tell you that the main character, Maggie Fortenberry, is planning her suicide. You can discover that much from the jacket blurb or the reviews. It seemed a strange subject for a humerous story, but I'm always game for an off-the-wall tale.
The problem for me was with Maggie herself. Her anal need to orchestrate every detail of her life, her death and beyond was annoying to me on one level because I am soooo not that person. But beyond that, she just didn't ring true as a suicidal personality. Her list of reasons to die were superficial, at best, and her reasons to keep postponing her death were equally trivial. Maggie was so overly sweet that I needed to brush my teeth after reading. I definitely didn't get the feeling of "strong southern woman" as advertised.
In spite of my disconnection from Maggie, the mystery and the supporting cast made the book worth reading. I wouldn't spend my money to own a copy, but it's worth picking up at the library. I give it a 3 out of 5.
The reviews seem mixed on this one. I was lucky to snag a leftover ARC which arrived yesterday, so if I'm a bit disappointed, I won't feel as bad:) Great review.
ReplyDeleteGood, honest review. I was prepared to read and love this one just because Fannie Flagg's name is on it. Now, when my turn comes up at the library, I'll calm down and read it carefully.
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