A lyrical saga, perfect for book clubs

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The Red Address Book takes the "diary discovered" plot and transforms it into a moving tribute. Doris Alm is dying soon, she has accepted this. She wants to tell her great-niece, Jenny, the story of her life before she passes on. She has secrets that need to be told, apologies that need to be made, and a great love that haunts her to this day. Doris, in her late 90s at this point, eloquently narrates the struggles of old age, fighting a body that simply refuses to do what she needs it to do anymore.
The plot itself has everyone that a book club could want: romance, tragedy, glamour, art, and difficult personal decisions. Some might call this novel historical fiction, but I wouldn't actually go that far. It's a little too light on the history for fans of that genre, but as literary fiction, it is a beautiful story. I have heard some complaints from readers this year about the preponderance of stories that flip backward and forward in time, but the voices of Jenny and Doris in this story are so distinct that you don't get the same disorientation with this story.
Doris' character is strong and fiery. Her sorrow and strong will come across clearly. Whereas Jenny is the character that transforms as the story goes along. Jenny starts out overwhelmed by her role as wife and mother, subsuming some of her essence in order to support her family. It is, of course, Doris who shows her the person that Jenny has been neglecting most is herself. Jenny ultimately becomes an admirable character, with the implication being that she learns to balance it all without losing herself again.
My favorite quotes from the advance uncorrected proof:
pg. 50 "That might be one of the most degrading things you can subject someone to, not caring about their mind."
pg. 78 "Beauty is the most manipulative force of all, and we quickly learned to exploit it."
pg. 222 "We, who had been marked by life, laughed at those who believed in happy endings."