In this book, Elizabeth tells the story of true friendship between two women Ruth
and Ann. Ruth is dying from Breast Cancer and she is being taken care
of by Ann and some of her other friends LD, Sarah, and Helen.
I really
liked the character of LD who wouldn't give up hope until the end no
matter how much they told her that Ruth's death was inevitable. But the
best part of the story is the friendship shared between Ruth and Ann, a
friendship that strong is very rare to find today. I truly enjoyed
reading this book and has to be one of Elizabeth's best.
I think it might require a unique respect for love and friendship to wholly relate
with the characters in this novel. But the truth is,
the book was not at all sappy, but depicted the reality in some life
situations i.e. divorce, discontent with male counterparts, humdrum of every
day common life.
I believe that men will never be able
to relate to a book such as this, in which women place their true
friends in front of their husbands and children during moments of
desperation to identify themselves. Men could never share this
connection depicted in the novel with women or with men due to social
mores, and therefore I pity those men who read this book and simply
never understand it.
I recommend this book to anyone who has
experienced any sort of strong bond with another woman, or if you have
not, then to a woman who has never felt the necessity to share a bond
with another woman. You will be convinced otherwise.
