A review by ljesica
The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 

Masha is grieving.  She has been grieving for 12 years since she lost her son Gabriel.  She has good friends, a good job and a wonderful wolfhound named Haizum.  She knows her grief has become a burden to all of them.

She hangs out in the graveyard a lot.  Which is where she meets an eccentric older lady who comes every day to feed the crows.  Masha calls her Sally Redshoes.  She is wild and wonderful and sings and dances and wears tulle and red shoes.  She uses “good evening” and “F off” interchangeably and affectionately and she slowly helps Masha learn how to live again.  How to dance for Gabriel’s memory instead of drowning in it.

I started this one a few times, but was still deep in my own grieving for Weasley so I kept putting it down.  But it was actually much funnier than I anticipated.  The good old British way of laughing through tears comes through in all forms and helps you learn to hope.  I really liked it.