SPLENDID EXPERIENCES

October was a month of emotionally charged reads. Four books, four very different stories, yet all connected by the complexities of love, loss, family, friendship and the human desire to belong.

From the heartbreaking journey of Ella in The Last Letter to the extraordinary friendship between Ellie and Homa in The Lion Women of Tehran, the unconventional family formed by Betty, Mr Chetan and Solo in Love After Love, and the unspoken expectations and complicated family dynamics in Everything I Never Told You.

Each story explored love in its many forms, reminding me that love isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes it comes with sacrifice, sometimes it heals, and sometimes, despite our best intentions, it can be the very thing that causes us pain.

What I particularly enjoyed about these books was how beautifully the authors brought their characters to life. Flawed, vulnerable, resilient and deeply human. Characters whose stories stayed with me long after I’d turned the final page.

1. The Last Letter – Rebecca Yarros

• Melanchonic
  • 4.5 stars

“We are imperfect people made that way by an imperfect world, and we don’t always get a say in what shapes us.”

When I read the back cover of The Last Letter, my initial reaction was, “Now that’s a melancholic synopsis.” By the time I started reading the book, I could already feel Ella’s loss, and I was anticipating how the story would unfold, knowing that her brother, Ryan, had passed away.

I wasn’t emotionally prepared for just how much this book would rip my heart open. After Chapter 4, I had to stop reading. I needed time to process what I had just read. I thought that was the hardest part of the book, until I continued reading.

Rebecca Yarros is known for putting her characters through emotionally devastating experiences, but goodness, life really dealt Ella some heavy cards. Damn!

Even in his absence, Ryan finds a way to look out for his sister by sending his best friend, Beckett, to help her navigate her grief. There’s an undeniable connection between Ella and Beckett, but Ella tries hard to resist his help. Beckett, however, turns out to be a godsend. Once she finally allows him into her life, he becomes her pillar of strength, helping her navigate some of her toughest moments.

Beckett captured my heart. I was Team Beckett throughout the book!

I love male characters who are strong, dependable and full of love. And Beckett embodies all those qualities.

“Love was mostly about compromise, but it was always about acceptance.”

“Taking my happy. You’re my happy.”

The story is beautifully heartbreaking. Ella’s twins are absolutely adorable, and as much as she sometimes feels alone, she has a wonderful community of people who form her support structure. I loved that aspect of the story.

Once I picked up the book again after Chapter 4, I was completely hooked. I stayed up reading late into the night and then woke up at 4 a.m. the following morning just to finish it. That’s how invested I was in Ella and Beckett’s story.

The Last Letter is one of those books that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, breaks your heart and reminds you of the extraordinary power of love, even in the face of unimaginable loss.

“Love – when it was right – was enough to save you.”

2. The Lion Women of Tehran – Marjan Kamali

• Poignant
  • 4 Stars

Historical fiction has become a genre I absolutely enjoy reading. The Lion Women of Teheran is a poignant novel, and the way the story unfolds transported me into Ellie and Homa’s world, from the moment they meet as children to their journey into adulthood.

Marjan Kamali does a stellar job at taking us on a journey of these two girls, growing up in Iran, who come from different backgrounds and become besties.

Ellie is born with a silver spoon in her mouth and raised with the expectation that she will marry well. Homa, on the other hand, comes from an impoverished background, but her dreams are as big as her outlook on life. She believes in the opportunities opening up for women in Iran and aspires to become a judge.

It’s Homa who encourages Ellie to dream bigger and believe that their lives can be different. Her ambition, optimism and determination have a profound influence on Ellie, inspiring her to see beyond the expectations placed upon her.

“You know what we’ll both become when we grow up?”

“I do not,” I said.

“Shirzan. Lionesses. Us. Can’t you just see it, Ellie? Someday, you and me – we’ll do great things. We’ll live for ourselves. And we will help others. We are cubs now, maybe. But we will grow to be lionesses. Strong women who make things happen.”

Unfortunately, these two girls are growing up in a country on the brink of political upheaval and revolution, events that will ultimately shape their lives in ways they could never have imagined. As they grow older, they experience the harsh realities faced by women in Iran, realities that continue to resonate today.

Their friendship is tested by circumstances beyond their control, but over time, the love and bond they formed as children become a source of strength and healing in adulthood.

“One day you will understand there are things we sacrifice for the sake of others. So that they can have a better life.”

“We can’t control what fate plans for us. Cant forsee it, cant prevent it, cannot mold and alter it no matter how much we may wish.”

One of the passages that particularly resonated with me was about the healing power of books:

…“And the other thing that saved me. Do you know what saved me?”

“What?” I whispered, not wanting to break the flow of her confession.

“It was books. I read and read. Went to the library as much as I could. And bookstores. Lost myself in books. Did you know that books can heal you? They helped restore me.”

Beyond the political and historical backdrop, The Lion Women of Tehran is a beautiful testament to the enduring power of female friendship, the sacrifices made for those we love and the courage it takes to stand up for what we believe in.

It’s a reminder that even in the face of oppression and adversity, the spirit of a lioness cannot easily be silenced.

3. Love after Love – Ingrid Persaud

• Riveting
  • 4stars

This book is a reminder that ‘Not all family is blood’. True family is defined by the people that show up when you need them most, they love you with all your faults and are protective. This pretty much sums up the relationship between Betty, Mr Chetan and Solo.

“It’s only when you’re at the bottom of the well and calling for help that you find out who will throw a rope.”

Love after Love is a riveting story set in Trinidad, the lives of Betty Ramdin, her son Solo and Mr Chetan.

Betty is married to Sunil, an alcoholic and an abusive husband. As a loving mother, she will do anything to protect her son, no matter the cost.

Solo is reserved and forms an unlikely bond with Mr Chetan, a lodger Betty takes in to help ease her monthly financial burden.

Mr Chetan, a maths teacher at the same school as Betty, is kind, thoughtful and compassionate. He has his own personal challenges to navigate, but that doesn’t stop him from becoming a source of comfort and stability in their lives. He develops a beautiful friendship with Betty and becomes a father figure to Solo.

Together, the three form an unconventional family.

Ingrid Persaud does a stellar job of bringing these characters to life. Despite the serious themes explored throughout the novel, the story is filled with humour, warmth and moments of tenderness. Written in Trinidadian dialect, the dialogue gives the characters an authentic voice and adds richness to the storytelling.

I loved being transported to Trinidad and gaining insight into the lives, traditions and culture of its Indo-Trinidadian community. It was both entertaining and enlightening.

Love After Love is a moving reminder that love and family can take many forms, and sometimes the people who become our greatest source of strength are those we least expect.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read!

“People won’t stop to think we’re only in the dark hiding because we aren’t allowed in the light.”

4. Everything I Never Told You – Celeste NG

• Doleful
  • 4 Stars

Everything I Never Told You is sad story about family, race, unfulfilled dreams, love and belonging.

‘People decide what you are like before they even get to know you.’

Set in small-town Ohio in the 1970s, the story follows the Lee family. Marilyn is a white American housewife married to James Lee, a Chinese American professor whose parents immigrated to the United States. Together, they have three children: Nathan, Lydia and Hannah.

The book wastes no time drawing us into the story. It opens with the death of Lydia, the favourite child of Marilyn and James, who have unknowingly placed the weight of their own unfulfilled dreams and expectations on her. Lydia desperately tries to live up to those expectations and please her parents, all while struggling with her own identity and sense of belonging.

Lydia’s death is central to the story. The narrative moves between the past and present, gradually revealing the family’s history, their individual struggles and the impact they have on one another.

As the story unfolds and the mystery surrounding Lydia’s untimely death begins to unravel, Celeste Ng does a stellar job of revealing the characters in their truest forms. Each carries their own insecurities, disappointments and unspoken desires as they try to navigate life and their complicated family relationships.

We’ve often witnessed situations where parents place more attention and expectations on one child, sometimes without realising the emotional consequences for the others. I particularly liked how this dynamic was portrayed in the novel.

While Lydia carries the burden of being the favourite, Nathan desperately seeks his parents’ attention and recognition, often to no avail. Hannah, on the other hand, quietly fades into the background, almost invisible within her own family.

What makes the story so compelling is how each family member is struggling to be seen, heard and understood, yet they fail to truly understand one another. There is so much left unsaid, and those silences ultimately shape their relationships in heartbreaking ways.

I loved this book. It’s emotional, utterly absorbing and beautifully written. Beyond the mystery of Lydia’s death, it’s a thought-provoking exploration of family dynamics, identity and the sometimes devastating consequences of expectations and unspoken emotions.

A compelling read that reminds us how little we sometimes know about the people closest to us.