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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I listened to this audiobook. I read some reviews and loved the sound of it, a writer turned chiropodist in midlife who writes about her different clients, their stories and the interactions between them as she treats their feet. Her clients, mostly elderly, grow to depend on this space and share much of their life stories, delighted to be listened to, delighted to share a laugh with their chiropodist. Although they are transactional relationships, they are still very real and meaningful, and the writer considers them her friends.
As she describes her decision to try something different and to sign up for the chiropodist training, she describes it as something of a midlife crisis, feeling more and more invisible, the older she is getting. I loved how she described her role, camouflaged against the white wall of her room with her white chiropodist’s coat, while her clients sit on a bright pink “throne” as she calls her chair. I love how this space afforded them the attention, the sense of importance, the listening and care that for many, at this stage in their lives was missing. It was a very tender and kind interaction, and the sensuous touch of her hands on their feet was so central in affirming them as people of importance, as people deserving of love and care.
The various stories were quite interesting, the clients varied quite a bit, and the descriptions of them by the author brought them to life on the page. Most of them are nearing the end of their lives, have been recently widowed, or are compromised physically due to age or illness. One of her clients, due to see her a few weeks later, dies, and she is informed of this over the phone by her client’s new widow. She slowly crosses off his name from her ledger book. Aging and mortality are two big themes in the book, but it does not feel heavy. It somehow marries being quite matter-of-fact with being tender and evocative.
Overall, I really liked this book, the writing style, the big life questions the book asks in a calm and candid way and the flow of one story to another. It reminded me a little of “Agatha”, by Anne-Cathrine Bomann, which I read a few months ago and which I also enjoyed.
As she describes her decision to try something different and to sign up for the chiropodist training, she describes it as something of a midlife crisis, feeling more and more invisible, the older she is getting. I loved how she described her role, camouflaged against the white wall of her room with her white chiropodist’s coat, while her clients sit on a bright pink “throne” as she calls her chair. I love how this space afforded them the attention, the sense of importance, the listening and care that for many, at this stage in their lives was missing. It was a very tender and kind interaction, and the sensuous touch of her hands on their feet was so central in affirming them as people of importance, as people deserving of love and care.
The various stories were quite interesting, the clients varied quite a bit, and the descriptions of them by the author brought them to life on the page. Most of them are nearing the end of their lives, have been recently widowed, or are compromised physically due to age or illness. One of her clients, due to see her a few weeks later, dies, and she is informed of this over the phone by her client’s new widow. She slowly crosses off his name from her ledger book. Aging and mortality are two big themes in the book, but it does not feel heavy. It somehow marries being quite matter-of-fact with being tender and evocative.
Overall, I really liked this book, the writing style, the big life questions the book asks in a calm and candid way and the flow of one story to another. It reminded me a little of “Agatha”, by Anne-Cathrine Bomann, which I read a few months ago and which I also enjoyed.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
I listened to the English audiobook, read by Angeline Armstrong. What an unexpected delight! If you had told me I would love a book which is based around a chiropodist, her treatment of people's feet and the stories of her clients I would never have believed you! But this turned out to be a charming, cosy, hopeful book about human lives, about friendship, relationships, middle age, old age and second chances.
I would definitely read more by this author if more of her books are translated to English :)
Thanks to Belinda Audio via NetGalley for the advance audiobook.
I would definitely read more by this author if more of her books are translated to English :)
Thanks to Belinda Audio via NetGalley for the advance audiobook.
Content Warnings
Minor: Dementia
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced