I could not think of a statement that I agree with more, happiness for me blooms when reading with a coffee in hand. Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin Lugand is a short novel, at a mere 242 pages. In that time, the author manages to pack in an incredibly emotionally charged story that will make you appreciate those you love most. I give this book an overall rating of 3-stars.
This story is about Diane, a bookstore owner who has lost her beloved husband and daughter in a car accident. In her overwhelming grief, she convinces herself she needs a change of pace and moves from France to Ireland, to live in a remote cottage. It is there she meets people who will push her, challenge her, and stir up emotions she has buried away. Her journey, although a painful one, will start to make her feel human again.
The story seemed to go back and forth between moving slowly and quickly, being in depth and under-described, throughout this book. There were moments that were thoroughly depicted, but then all of a sudden, it would be a month later. This could largely be attributed to the length of the book. I understand that the author needs to move the story along and keep the pace of the book moving. That being said I was craving more time, and perhaps more hints at where we were in time as I read. Diane intends to live in Ireland for 6 months, and that 6th month came up spectacularly fast. As I think about this now, perhaps the author did this on purpose to create the feeling of days blurring together as Diane experiences time herself.
The thing I enjoyed most of all was how the author depicted the setting. I felt whisked away while reading Happy People, the whole book took on a feeling of its own. It was that feeling that let me drift away and lose track of time. It transported me to another place entirely, and I could not get enough of that feeling. Some may not enjoy the cliche of a cottage on the water, but I couldn't get enough. Those of us who dream of traveling to places such as this never will.
I think the most important takeaway from this novel centers around the theme of grief. I cannot claim to have lost loved ones in the way that Diane has, but I think it serves as a reminder to be kind to those around us. You never know what anyone could be dealing with on any given day. So let's be kinder, aim to be a little more understanding. If there is anything I have learned so far in 2019, it is about giving human beings the space they need to grieve. Sometimes that means remembering to give people that space long after their loved one is gone because they are still living it every day, even if we have forgotten with time.
When I finally put this book down, I looked up and appreciated the people around me a little bit more. That for me sums up this book entirely. I look forward to picking up Agnes Martin Lugand's sequel, and to find out what happens to Diane, of whom I have grown fond in the short time I had with her character.
Yours Literarily,
Lauren.
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