3 out of 4 stars
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Written by Lily Iona Mackenzie, Fling! is a story about Bubbles and her daughter as they set out from Canada to Mexico to pick up the ashes of Bubbles' dead mother. Told in the third person, the story focused primarily on mother and daughter's journey with chapters on flashbacks in between.
Feather came home to Calagary, Canada for her mother's 90th birthday. To her surprise, Bubbles informed her of a letter she recently received from Mexico asking her to pick up the ashes of her mother, Heather, who has been dead for 70 years.
As a girl, Bubbles was described as beautiful and vivacious. She was uprooted from her homeland in Scotland so that the rest of the family could join her father who had been working in Canada for 7 years. The reunion did not turn out very well and Bubbles' mother ended up running away with another man. Without a mother to guide her, Bubbles got pregnant with Feather but was very vague about Feather's paternity. Bubbles eventually got married with Floyd. However, she seems to be as unlucky, as her mother was, in her first husband. So, she, like her mother, ran away with another man. Left with the responsibility of taking care of her stepbrothers, Feather left home as soon as she noticed her stepfather staring at her breasts. She got pregnant at 16 but her relationship did not work out so she ran away at 22 years old taking her 6-year old son and joined The Circus.
Personally, I found the book funny and entertaining. Bubbles, at 90, was described as energetic, charismatic and sexual. She was hungry for adventure and had a healthy appetite for men. Feather's character was just as developed as that of Bubbles. She was an artist who, despite her secret resentment of Bubbles for abandoning her, proved to be a good daughter. Knowing that Bubbles may die anytime, Feather spent as much time with her as she could. Mexico was described as an enchanting and magical country with dead people coming to life and shaman shifting into animal forms.
In addition to being highly entertaining, the story was also filled with life lessons. First of which was the importance of a mother's presence in a child's life and the pain, confusion and anger a child feels as a result of abandonment and neglect. Second was the challenge of finding a good spouse. The book makes the reader appreciate the blessing of having a respectful and supportive partner and companion especially in old age.
Generally, this is one well-written book with interesting plot. However, with most of the characters female, there was a frequent use of the subject pronoun 'she' that readers may easily get confused as to who 'she' was referring to: Heather, Bubbles or Feather. Also (this may sound subjective of me but) I prefer characters, especially elderly, to be proper and respectable who tend to set good examples instead of being out smoking pot and chasing men. But it is just me and I am old school, different reader, different taste, so, I am not taking it against the author.
In view of the above, I give this book a rate of 3 out of 4 stars. It is a funny and entertaining story with a great plot and interesting characters. I recommend it to readers who like adventures with a touch of supernatural plus a tad of sex.
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Fling!
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