Latest book read : A Post-WW II Story That Needs a Happier Ending

I often like to buy and read books whenever I travel somewhere to get a feel for how the authors see things. When I visited Portsmouth, NH recently, I saw a display of books (all copies of the same book) in a gift shop that highlighted a local author. Naturally, I was intrigued. It sounded melancholic, as it was about a married couple trying to process their grief after a relative passed in World War 2. Today's blog is about my thoughts on the book (which I won't name until the end).

(Photo: A postcard from 1950 of Hampton Beach, NH where the story takes place. Source:  Wikimedia Commons ) 

MY TAKE

The Writing is Great: The author is skillful in painting a picture of the 5 years post-World War 2, and brings some local settings in his writing. He's a great writer. He makes you see the characters in your mind, and feel like you're in the room with them- that's a high compliment. If you want to get a feel for the NH seacoast, post World War 2, this book gives you a glimpse of that. 

Back to the Story: Usually with these types of books where a character suffers a loss or hardship, they find a way to break through the grief and go on. In this book, however, the married couple who are the lead characters, never get through their grief. I was waiting for the story to take an upward turn. They continually talk about how bitter they are and compare their feelings to the bitter tasting beverages they drink. They never come to grips with the loss of their loved one, and they are depressed about the way the town they left has changed over 5 years.

I had hoped for a breakthrough ending. As I continued to read through it, I kept thinking to myself, "get therapy." "Talk with someone to move forward." It never came. By the end of the book, I was thinking that people who suffer from loss and depression need to get professional counseling to find the good things in their lives (unlike the characters in this book). I only wish there was a bit of positivity in the characters. By the end of the book, I needed to read another book that was uplifting.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Street Signs & Shaded Goodbyes 

in Paperback by Michael Lajoie (Author)

BOOK SUMMARY: Meaningful and melancholic, Street Signs and Shaded Goodbyes follows Greg and Violet Eastmor as they wander through loss in the wake of World War II. Faced with the death of Violet's brother and the diminishing days of his old black dog, they set off on a journey to confront their grief. From hill-flanked Camden, to historic Portsmouth, to pain-ridden Hampton-their travels are a torn-up testament to a changed Maine and New Hampshire. In this unforgettable story of reflection and rediscovery, Lajoie guides readers down many bitter streets-all of them close to home.