Writers & Lovers:
I loved her 2014 release Euphoria and author Lily King has written another great one, although quite different, Writers & Lovers (Grove Press). We follow Casey Peabody, a writer, on a journey to find herself.
“I am 31, and $73,000 in debt. I’ve moved 11 times, had 17 jobs and several relationships that didn’t work out. I’ve been estranged from my father since 12th grade, and earlier this year my mother died … What has been constant and steady in my life is the novel I’ve been writing. This has been my home, the place I could always retreat to. The place I could sometimes even feel powerful. The place where I am most myself.”
Casey lives in a rented old potting shed from her brother’s friend Adam. With a low income, she walks Adam’s dog to reduce her rent. She has been out of touch with her father since high school and has given up on the dream (more his than hers) of becoming a golf pro. Unsuccessful in love, Casey has spent five years writing her book and is struggling to complete it. With her mother’s sudden death, she battles with grief daily as she rides a bike to her waitressing job and tries, but usually fails, to hold it together while crossing the BU bridge.
Through her writer friend, Casey meets two different love interests, a widower who is a famous author with young children, and a workshop student of his, a high school teacher. Multilayered and complicated, she tries out both relationships, always remaining dedicated to completing her book. “I write because if I don’t, everything feels even worse.”
Not action packed, but well written and inspirational, Writers & Lovers is about dedication, love and success experienced through Casey’s journey. A wonderful coming-of-age story with heart and soul to get lost in during these days of social distancing. I highly recommend it, especially for dreamers and those with a creative spirit.
