Review by Halibean2428 -- The Reel Sisters

[Halibean2428]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Reel Sisters" by Michelle Cummings.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Michelle Cumming's The Reel Sisters is a unique novel in itself because how often does one get to read about a group of fly-fishing women? In this novel, five exceptionally different women meet through the typical meet-cute scenarios one would expect to find in your everyday American work of literary art only to discover that they each share a passion of fly-fishing. This being said, not all of the women come to the sport naturally or even easily, yet they all find that it is where her heart truly lies. These women form the type of deeply bonded, female friendship that is commonly written about. Through this friendship, they share their trials and tribulations, which all can be related to the sport of fly-fishing in some way or another. Michelle Cumming writes a book that takes you through a series of ups and downs, as can be found in life, with a twist ending that leaves the reader heart broken in the way only a connection to well-written characters can.

Each chapter of the book begins with a short passage from a different fly-fishing text. From there, the author switches between characters as the book is told through them. The book is written as if the character is talking directly to you. However, when the character has a thought, the text is written in italics to let you know that the character is thinking what is being written. In this way, you are able to see the events from different perspectives.

The one thing that truly struck a chord with my literary heart when reading this novel was Cumming's ability to draw you in despite the simplicity. The novel has its fair share of twists, turns, and build-ups, but it is not something that you could not put down. Yet, I found myself thinking of the lives of each character when I put the book down, which in itself, is an accomplishment.

Disappointingly, as stated above, The Reel Sisters is simplistic in many ways. The characters, though well-written, are a cliché in every way. The typical older woman who is a spunky mother hen to the rest of the group. The woman most loved by the elder of the group, who is herself, so much a protector of others that she often forgets her own needs. The feisty African-American woman who leads the pack. The sweet young mother who teaches fifth grade and raises her kids while her husband is deployed. The tattooed young loner with a potty-mouth who aims to rebel in every way possible. While the characters are something you might find in a book desperately trying to appeal to every demographic, the events are a little more exciting, but not by much. It is predictable in a comfortable way, which is not the making of a great American novel.

As grammatically flawless as this novel is, it is still simply written in a way that can hold the attention of the average reader. It is best suited for women who crave a story about female friendship, fly-fishing women, or relatable problems faced by women today. I would not recommend it for those that need a more unique quality from a novel's series of events nor for those that prefer a masculine energy. Michelle Cummings eloquently wrote a novel worthy of becoming a Hallmark movie. I would rate it 3 out of 4 stars as it is a novel that warms the heart, but does not mark it for life.

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The Reel Sisters
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[ankushavhad]

I often came across this book appeared in my select list. I unseeingly skipped it from picking for review, or reading in larger. This has been just because, I was not sure of what the title carries in the book, “Reel Sisters” -–might be a biography based novel of some famous sister celebrities from movie world or something like that. But, after reading your review, now I got the idea of real time. I am wondering to learn that how creative the writers are. The author, Michelle Cumming magically developed an interesting story taking the platform such as a fly-fishing sport.
I wish I should mark it to read, at least, if not for review. Good review, Halibean2428. It helped me to make my mind to read such cool stories.
~ Ankush