Nimue Brown posted: " Reinventing Herself, by DJ Martin is an excellent comfort read. This is a modest peril sort of story in that people whose names you never even know are killed in the background, and there's a killer to track down, and there is some drama at the end. "
Reinventing Herself, by DJ Martin is an excellent comfort read. This is a modest peril sort of story in that people whose names you never even know are killed in the background, and there's a killer to track down, and there is some drama at the end. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the peril level for the named characters never seems high and that you can safely read this story when you want something warm and reassuring.
Main character El has recently lost her husband, and has moved to a smaller home in the woods. She discovers that for women in her family, the menopause tends to bring magical powers in the form of being able to communicate with animals. This is a glorious idea, and as someone frequently drowning in the great menopausal hormone sea, I found it delightful to have this notion of magical transformation instead.
This is a story full of talking animals. I really enjoyed that - I was the sort of child who really loved talking animal stories, and apparently that hasn't gone away. If your inner child wants something a bit more grownup that still has talking animals, this is for you. There's a lot of whimsy and cuteness, and some of the animals are really funny.
There's a lot of humour in the book. It's a warm and charming sort of humour, based on surprise, humorous situations, and charm. There's also a lot of content around people having and developing really good relationships - friends, family members, romance - it's really nice seeing a book in which all kinds of healthy and functional relationships are explored and you see a lot of people being thoughtful and caring towards each other. There's also enough complexity in the relationships to stop that feeling implausibly sweet. It's also about people figuring out who they are and becoming more themselves, and making choices to support their own growth and wellbeing.
If you're in the mood to grab a blanket and snuggle up with something cheering, this is an ideal book. Take it to your pillow fort, bring snacks, have fun with the modest peril and the magical take on reality this book is set in.
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