Play Book Tag discussion

“So many names pass by us in a lifetime. Have you ever thought about that, Jenny? All the names that come and go.”

96-year-old Doris has lived a full life that has taken her from working as a maid in Sweden to moving to Paris, where she was a live mannequin for Chanel, and then fleeing to Manhattan when Word War II starts. It is here that she meets Allan, the greatest love of her life. They are ripped apart when he goes overseas to serve in the war, and the letters Doris sends throughout the years always come back to her, unable to be delivered. Now living in Sweden, with only weekly Skype calls with her grandniece Jenny and visits each day from caregivers, Doris reflects back on her life using a red address book that was given to her as a young girl. She uses this address book to record the names of the people she has known over her life and crosses out their names when they have passed away. As Doris reviews her address book, she sees many names crossed out and decides now is the time to tell her story and help Jenny understand her family history.

Initially, the translation did not seem to flow well, making the story feel slow. This book got such high ratings on Goodreads that I kept going, and I am so glad I did. Doris holds nothing back when it comes to her memories, and you experience the beautiful moments, the painful moments, and the sad moments right alongside her. There is a shift in the direction of the story in the last 75 or so pages that I thought was unnecessary, and the emphasis on this storyline took away some of the impact of the main story. Overall, this is a nostalgic and tender story I am glad to have experienced.