So Different!

filled star filled star filled star filled star star unfilled
donna172 Avatar

By

One fact about Paper Wasps is that they will only attack when they feel threatened. Another fact is that they are beneficial to gardeners. Both of these descriptions seem fitting for the main character, Abby. I could not understand the meaning of the title until the end of the book, but now that I have read it, I want to go back again and look again for the similarities. The title selection of this book is genius!
Abby is a young, lonely, almost recluse who is obsessed with the life of her high school friend, Elise. When their high school reunion arrives, Abby almost reluctantly attends. The only reason she is there is to see if she can get a glimpse of Elise. As luck would have it, not only does she get to see Elise, she get invited to visit her in her in her glamorous Hollywood world. Although neither of the characters in this book are likable, I was drawn to them and wanted to know the workings of their inner mind. Elise is a member of the Rhizome which seems to be an almost spa-like setting. The members attend and learn how to become one with their dreams (or that is what it seemed like to me). This setting honestly confused me because I don't know if a place like this really exists, or maybe I am just that out of touch. Abby was gifted in her ability to connect to her own mind and to others minds through her dreams. At times, I wondered if Abby were mentally unstable or if maybe she was just truly gifted. Just like the paper wasp, when Abby's world feels threatened, she takes action.
This book is like no other book I have ever read. It was fantastical in a way that was realistic and has me wondering; do things like this really happen, are people like Abby real? Thank you to Grove Press and Bookish First for the ARC! #GrovePress #BookishFirst