Book Around the StatesDelia Grinstead is a forty-year-old mother and wife, living in Baltimore in her family home with husband, son, and sister. Her other sister visits with her two daughters and everyone heads to the beach in Delaware for the annual two-week vacation. Up to this point, you feel that Delia is such a non-entity. Her husband talks down to her, her sisters talk over her and her kids just use her. One day she takes a walk on the beach and just keeps going. That's when you really start liking her. This novel tells about the sixteen months she spends in a small town called Bay Borough working first as a typist and then as a live-in housekeeper/nanny. Along the way, you meet a rich variety of eccentric and fun characters. I could identify with Delia as a woman of a certain age whose kids have outgrown her and who questions her place in her limited world. This book was a quiet, enjoyable read for me. Not earth-shattering or emotion-stirring, but very pleasant and often humorous.
Rating: 4
It looks like the cover fits the story. I like it. I guess I'll need to read this to find out why a mother who walks away from her children would then become a nanny. That's an interesting twist.
ReplyDeletea quiet and enjoyable read can be good... I am going to put this on my amazon list for future reading.
ReplyDeleteI read this some time ago, and remember enjoying it, as well. If you haven't yet, might I suggest reading Elizabeth Berg's novel (I don't remember the 'exact' title, but it was something about a middle-aged woman...Confessions of, maybe?? LoL..leave it to me to recommend a book I don't know the title of!)...anyway, the tales are somewhat along the same lines, but I liked the 'spunk' of Berg's character, better.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful weekend ahead, filled with lots of Good Books!
I remember reading this many years ago, but have forgotten a lot of the details. Might be time for a re-read.
ReplyDeleteI think the Berg book Mo is referring to is The Pull of the Moon. I enjoyed it, too.