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

4.25

My friend passed this on to me as she absolutely adores it. I've read Ruth Hogan before, so her style is familiar. This deals with death and grief but it is not a depressing read. The characters here, the eccentric Kitty and Sally leap off the page. Edward is totally charming and Matty - you just want to hug him. Masha is dealing with loss, with grief and cannot seem to find a way through. Until, that is, she meets Sally in the graveyard that she visits daily. Sally feed the birds and sings. She also dances. She tells Masha that the music doesn't stop when someone you love dies- you sing, you dance for them. She also meets Kitty - a woman in her 70s who dresses for herself, who grasps life with both hands, who loves to roller disco and is in love. These two befriend Masha and through them, she finally can see light at the end of the tunnel. Another thread running through is Alice and her son Matty who are going through a really difficult time. What stopped this being a 5* was the ending. I still can't make up my mind about it. A book that gives hope.