RELEASE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jennie’s Review

I’m starting with this: I really enjoyed this book, especially as the story got going. In the beginning, we learn about the arranged marriage set up by the main character, Filamena, and the less-than-joyful marriage that follows, including abuse. But when she begins to find her way out of that life and becomes her own person, that’s when the story really takes off.

Having lived in neighborhoods where your address seemed to matter more than who you were, and never being one to play the game of keeping up with the neighbors, I found myself applauding Filamena. I even recognized more than a few of her neighbors! The story also explores love and marriage in their many forms, showing how relationships can offer support and encouragement or, at the other extreme, push people to take steps that go well beyond what most would consider reasonable. These different relationships add another layer to the story, reminding us that love doesn’t always look the way we expect it to—and that not every marriage brings out the best in people.

The smaller side stories, including her garden and goats, add to the book’s already strong themes while keeping the story engaging from page to page. Each adds a little more depth to the characters and the world they inhabit without distracting from Filamena’s journey.

Does Filamena get her happily ever after? You’ll just have to read it for yourself!

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Book Summary

Filamena Phipps, née Ferayinskela, doesn’t ‘fit’ in North Chelsea, an affluent community which prizes homogeneity. She tries to accommodate her neighbours but to them, she’s different; she’s a threat. Filamena isn’t daunted. Kicking out her cheating husband, she runs for mayor, hoping to find the acceptance that eludes her. As Filamena’s campaign takes off, so does her overgrown garden, disrupting the order of her neighbourhood. How much more change can her neighbours possibly take?