Alice Bliss
Dang you, Laura Harrington, you owe me a hankie.
When Alice Bliss learns that her father, Matt, is being deployed to Iraq, she’s heartbroken. Alice idolizes her father, loves working beside him in their garden, accompanying him on the occasional roofing job, playing baseball. When he ships out, Alice is faced with finding a way to fill the emptiness he has left behind.
Matt will miss seeing his daughter blossom from a tomboy into a full- blown teenager. Alice will learn to drive, join the track team, go to her first dance, and fall in love, all while trying to be strong for her mother, Angie, and take care of her precocious little sister, Ellie. But the smell of Matt is starting to fade from his blue shirt that Alice wears everyday, and the phone calls are never long enough.
Because I am the world’s ugliest, sloshiest, serious sinus irrigator of a weeper, I avoid things that make me cry.
For a split second, I kind of hoped Alice Bliss was a chick-lit, cheeky girl in pointy red shoes. No such luck. Instead, she is an all-encompassing oh-please-don’t-make-me-go-there dang it, you did, brave confrontation of families and love…and loss and growing up when you really don’t want to (and that goes for moms, too, who should have grown up a long time ago).
I barricaded my emotions and hardened my heart…but halfway through I knew I was doomed. Laura Harrington knew what she was doing and tricked me, tricked me! into falling prey to her beautiful words by injecting her story under my skin with characters so real I wanted to smack them.
Alice’s dad, who leaves behind bittersweet letters entitled “The little moments that make up the big moments that might get forgotten,” and “The moment you realize you want this boy to kiss you...” all the way up through “The moment you realize you’re more like your mother than you want to be…” is the patient, understanding parent we all wish we could be.
Alice’s mom, Angie, has more issues than her daughters, and is so unlikeable–until you reluctantly have to give her props just for trying. Ellie, the little sister, is a funny (but annoyingly precocious) 8-year-old. Alice is simply a little bit of all of us–a smart teen, with raging hormones, on the precipice of life’s unknown, wanting nothing to change and everything to change.
When Matt makes the ultimate sacrifice for his country, family, friends, and neighbors rally around the Bliss household; “All of these people, these caring, lovely people, each one like a hammer blow, each one striking a gong, ringing a bell: he’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone.”
Laura shares an intimate story about the struggles of life, dotted with finding comfort in a favorite routine as the girls fend for themselves with a backwards dinner (ice cream first followed by popcorn with a promise of mac and cheese, if needed).
Even if you don’t cry, the emotions from facing fears of loneliness and loss are easily recognizable, and made me better for reading Alice Bliss–a throat squinching acknowledgement of the messy feelings that go along with love and hope.
Overall rating:
Unboxed rating:
Kleenex courtesy of Tessa the Dudeler
Oh man. I never laughed so hard reading about crying, Dee. Don’t you hate/love when they trick you like that?
What a fun review!
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Thanks, Vaughn…I knew what was coming but I was already pulled in:(
Dee DeTarsio´s last blog post ..Dialogues With The Devil
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“Because I am the world’s ugliest, sloshiest, serious sinus irrigator of a weeper, I avoid things that make me cry” .. . love this!
And love the energetic positive review – the author should feel happy!
kathryn magendie´s last blog post ..Home
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Ohh boy, I’m a sap too. The Iraq war connection cuts a little close for me, but I like YA novels that go a little deeper than vampires or getting a boyfriend. I’ll have to check this one out.
Kathleen Bolton´s last blog post ..Alice Bliss
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Thanks, Kathleen…I have been so pleasantly surprised by a lot of novels that may be tagged YA (like Alice Bliss) (or The Hunger Games) that end up being a lot more “grown up” and sophisticated and offer satisfying stories for all readers!
Dee DeTarsio´s last blog post ..Dialogues With The Devil
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Oh geez. Not sure I could handle this book… but it sounds like it’s worth the try!
Kristan´s last blog post ..Writerly Wednesday
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I really want to read this. This definitely hits home for me. My uncle has been in and out of Afghanistan for the past few years and a lot of my friends have been to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
I normally avoid books that make me cry too, but I might have to get this one anyways.
Ashley Prince´s last blog post ..Book Review: The Devil She Knows
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Thanks for this early Christmas present of a review, Dee. I love your vibrant, funny writing.
The YA question is an interesting one for Alice Bliss. It’s been marketed as an adult novel with hopes for YA crossover in paperback. I have heard from readers as young as 13 and as old as 95. A wonderful range of ages.
Thanks again.
Laura Harrington´s last blog post ..Harrington creates an incredibly poignant story; grief and loss are palpable.
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Hi Laura–thank you for your beautiful words and story! I didn’t think of Alice Bliss as YA–just a great story, well done! Merry Christmas!
Dee DeTarsio´s last blog post ..Dialogues With The Devil
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I don’t know the last book that has literally made me cry. Sad stories are horrible in a way but amazing that they have the ability to move us so.
StoriesAndSweetPotatoes´s last blog post ..Well-Tabs: A Slap In The Face To The Mentally Ill
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Thank you so much for reviewing “Alice Bliss”! We’ll be sure to feature your review on the “Alice Bliss” website! If you haven’t checked it out, you should do so here! We’re also on Twitter and Facebook!
Where’s Alice Bliss?´s last blog post ..The Kindness of Book Crossers
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Great website–thanks so much for featuring Alice Bliss!
Dee DeTarsio´s last blog post ..Dialogues With The Devil
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