(65)I Can Be A Better You by Tarryn Fisher

Sunday, September 22, 2019



Fig Coxbury has never been the same since she had her miscarriage.  She just knows that the soul of her unborn child is in the universe somewhere.  And then she spots her at a park.  A little girl with a "bad mommy" for a  mother.  An inattentive,  tattooed, mother.  Fig knows that she could be a better mother to "her" daughter, so she observes, and researches.  And when the house next door to the "bad mommy" comes up for sale, Fig makes her move.   She befriends the "bad mommy" and soon discovers that everything she wants is next door. And she will stop at nothing to get it. 

Jolene sees the lonely woman who moves in next door as a project.  Somebody that she can take under her wing and help. Her husband, Darius, warns her that something is "off" with Fig.   Her friends have all warned her that Fig seems odd, but it doesn't stop her from welcoming Fig into their homes and lives.  But all of that changes when Jolene accidentally sees something on her husband's phone.  Will Jolene's life ever be the same again.

Let me just say that I don't think that I have ever read a book where all of the characters were just plain nuts. The book is told in three sections.  The first section is from Fig's view. The second section is from Darius's view, and the final section is told from Jolene's view.   It seemed very disjointed and their stories did not mesh very well.  There was never any big, climactic event.   The conclusion was interesting and had me wondering about the intent of the story all along, but there were other unanswered questions.  Like, what happened to Darius's lawsuit? (Um, girls with only one hand are not all crazy).   Did George and Fig get back together?  Did they stay married? Is Jolene's story really Tarryn's story? -  The last few pages of the book reinforced my belief that they were all crazy. -CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line - I Can Be A Better You was a selection for my book club, I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise. I was very engaged with the book for the entire time that I was reading it because I was hoping it would all come together at the end.  It did not.  I won't give up on this author, because I have heard good things about her other books.  I just hope they don't disappoint me like this one.

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