(41)One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

One Hundred Names

Pages: 496
Publisher:  Harper Collins
Publication Date: May 6, 2014


Kitty Logan's career has fall completely off the rails.  She was disgraced as a reporter when she falsely reported accusations that a beloved teacher had inappropriate relations with one of his students.  The teacher was exonerated, but not before his life was ruined and Kitty was fired.  Her boyfriend left her and someone keeps vandalizing her apartment. Now to top it off her boss, mentor and friend from the magazine has lost her battle with breast cancer and Kitty is completely shattered.  Constance Dubois was working on a final piece that the magazine wishes to finish for the memorial piece they want to run and her widower has decided that it is only right that Kitty be the one to do it. All she has to go on is a list of 100 names.  That is it.  Kitty knows that this article is truly the only way to redeem herself in the eyes of her bosses, the public, and herself.   As Kitty reaches out to the people on the list she meets an eclectic group of the most ordinary people with the most extraordinary stories.   The great-grandmother in a nursing home, the man whose daughter was murdered, the shy museum curator, and so much more.  Will the story be enough to redeem her career, but most importantly will Kitty discover the real reason why Constance was working on this story?

Cecelia Ahern is such a gifted storyteller and I think she has her best character with Kitty Logan.  Kitty is probably the most flawed character I have read in a long time, but despite her flaws you can't help but like her.  She obviously feels such remorse at what happened and the things that keep happening to her are both tragic and a bit funny.  Like her run in with an old college friend.  Or  the fact that her bike was stolen, but even funnier was when she found her bike.  Then there Steve.  Both funny and sweet, their relationship is complicated, yet pure.   Steve is really one of the only people in the world who stood by her through everything.  Even though they were just friends, I found myself hoping their friendship would become more. Each character adds something special to the story, creating something pretty magical.

Bottom line,  One Hundred Names is a really, really good book.  We all have done something stupid in our lives and have looked for redemption in one way or another.   Kitty's journey may be a bit unique, but in a way I believe we can all relate to in one way or another.  We all have our own stories, right?

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