Absolutely brilliant
The story starts off with the radical hag herself, Haze Evans, having a stroke! How can the story continue when the person it's about is in a coma? Good question. While Haze is always present in the book, we only ever get to hear her voice or get to know her life through her past columns. Once news gets out that Haze is in the hospital, the newspaper she works at, the Granite Creek Gazette) decides to post her old columns. That's how we get to know and love Haze. But she is not the only character here. We also learn more about the woman running the newspaper, Susan McGrath, her teenage son, Sam, and the receptionist at the Gazette, Shelly.
Through reading all her old columns, her old letters, and the responses sent to the newspaper, these three characters (although there are many more) have a chance to reevaluate their lives. Susan looks into the problems in her troubled marriage, Sam matures and becomes more understanding, and Shelly regains a joy she lost many years ago.
Haze's life is filled with historical events and wonderful people, and Haze has thoughts on all of it. Through her words, she is able to change lives even from her hospital bed. This is a hard book to describe because of the various elements working together but it is done effortlessly (or it is written so well that it seems effortless).
I am giving Chronicles of a Radical Hag 4 out of 5 stars. It made me cry profusely and had me thinking about my own life which I always appreciate. If you are looking for a quirky, emotional read, I highly recommend this.
Chronicles of a Radical Hag is out now!
Thank you to BookishFirst and University of Minnesota Press for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Through reading all her old columns, her old letters, and the responses sent to the newspaper, these three characters (although there are many more) have a chance to reevaluate their lives. Susan looks into the problems in her troubled marriage, Sam matures and becomes more understanding, and Shelly regains a joy she lost many years ago.
Haze's life is filled with historical events and wonderful people, and Haze has thoughts on all of it. Through her words, she is able to change lives even from her hospital bed. This is a hard book to describe because of the various elements working together but it is done effortlessly (or it is written so well that it seems effortless).
I am giving Chronicles of a Radical Hag 4 out of 5 stars. It made me cry profusely and had me thinking about my own life which I always appreciate. If you are looking for a quirky, emotional read, I highly recommend this.
Chronicles of a Radical Hag is out now!
Thank you to BookishFirst and University of Minnesota Press for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.