Hello! I am back again to review an arc I read back at the end of last month of an adult book that is simultaneously heartwarming and heart-wrenching. **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources.**
As I was scrolling NetGalley a few months ago I came across an illustrated cover for Minus Me, an adult fiction novel (which fell under NetGalley’s category of Women’s Fiction) by Mameve Medwed. The synopsis pulled me in – a story about a women who, after hearing grave news about her health, takes it upon herself to write a manual for her husband to follow after she’s she’s gone. I had no idea what the story would entail, and I can say the book simultaneously warmed my heart while wretching it in places. So let’s talk about it.
When Annie Stevens-Straus receives grim news from the town’s physician, she sets out to create a manual instructing her husband, Sam, on how to live on after she’s gone. Sam, her seemingly incompetent but incredibly sweet husband who has been nothing but loving and supportive through years of highs and lows, of celebrations and heartbreaks. Against the suggestion of her physician, Annie keeps her news from Sam, choosing instead to carry the burden on her own shoulders. And things takes a turn when Annie’s famous mother, Ursula, takes a step back into her life and whisks her away from the simple Maine town to the bustling New York City on a mission. Can Annie handle this all on her own, or will she realize that sometimes, it’s ok to let someone else lend a helping hand?
**content warnings for discussions of miscarriage and stillbirth, mentions of abortion, discussion of infertility, illness, and one scene (chapter 8) of unwanted advances**
I think one of the strongest aspects of this book was getting to experience Annie’s internal struggle. When she first receives news of her illness, she is conflicted as to whether she should relay it to Sam. Sam does deflect during their conversation, perhaps sensing her dire tone or maybe he’s just as clueless as Annie pegs him to be, so her decision is made, but you can tell it still pains her hiding doctor’s visits and calls and for Sam not to know the truth. Later, she is torn between wanting to hold Sam close – to enjoy the time she has left with him – or push him away – to make things easier for them both when she’s gone. Annie truly feels alone in this, as she wants to protect the ones she cares about while also planning for them to get by after she’s passed. I found Annie’s humor while writing the manual itself interesting, as she is trying to find solutions for every possible situation Sam might find himself in alone, and she tries to make things lighthearted while she is fighting back tears after every addition. This book also captured what it’s like to live in a small town quite well, in my opinion, as Annie and Sam learn a lot from the gossip in their shop, most people are regulars, and people like to stick to a routine, refusing to embrace certain things that are new in town (like the new barbor shop), and the stark contrast when Annie finally does leave her small town in Maine and go to New York City with her mother was very nice to see. And even though Megan, Annie’s goddaughter, doesn’t have a lot of page time, I thought she brought plenty of comic relief and a younger perspective to an otherwise serious and older-centric read.
That being said, I did have some issues with the read. To start, the entire premise off the book is based off the trope of hiding a secret from your spouse, no matter if the act is intentional or otherwise. Annie also has moments of being hypocritical, because she gets angry at Sam for hiding a big secret from her, while having full knowledge she has not been entirely truthful to him (and in my opinion Sam’s secret pales in comparison to what Annie has kept from him). For a couple that everyone in town praises for being so in love, ever since high school, I didn’t find their comminication (at least for the duration of the book) very good at all – Sam was continually very dismissive of Annie, especially when he was distrustful of her and she was simply trying to explain her side of the situation. While I understand the manual was important for Annie’s journey through her diagnosis, it was used to solve two main conflicts in the exact same way – the act of “discovering” the manual was done twice, and needed little to no further explanation until all was right again, which felt very repetitive. This last point will just be personal preference, but I felt like the inclusive of Ralphie as a character was unnecessary and was only used to create a conflict that differed from that of Annie’s diagnosis. Scenes with him (especially chapter 8) made me uncomfortable, and while nothing bad does occur I felt he could have been omitted entirely.
The tagline for this book is “a poignant and hilarious novel about the bonds of marriage, the burdens of maternal love, and the courage to face mortality,” which I would find extremely accurate. Overall, it was an enjoyable read with some good insight, small-town vibes, and resolution of familial conflict. If you’re looking for a quick read with some witty banter and tough discussion sprinkled in, I recommend picking up the book up. Minus Me will be released on January 12th, 2021, so please consider preordering a copy, because those sales greatly help the author in the long run (and support local indie bookstores, especially in these difficult times – find one near you here), or picking up a copy when it’s finally out in the world. **Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Alcove Press, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Places to find Minus Me:
Amazon
Goodreads
Mameve Medwed’s site
Penguin Random House
Thoughts About Things 