Review of A Few Trivial Felonies

[Stacey Jordan 1]

[Following is a volunteer review of "A Few Trivial Felonies" by Sandra Sperling.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Sandra Sperling, author of A Few Trivial Felonies: How many will these ladies commit? And, they seem so…nice., provides an answer to the question, “What would you do?” In this case, the repercussions of losing one’s sole source of income drives two otherwise ‘nice’ ladies to felonious means. Of course, the only way to commit crime without consequence is for there to be no witnesses and, unfortunately, our protagonists have Vivian: an interesting twist on the nosy neighbor. Vivian’s jealousy of Ruth and Rachel’s fortune, landing men of means, increases her motivation to ferret out their business. The tango between these ladies provides plenty of action, and a generous helping of comedy dancing along the pages of the fictional story. Naturally, every good story must come to an end; however, A Few Trivial Felonies leaves the reader hoping for a sequel.

What is crazy about A Few Trivial Felonies is that the crimes begin before problems arise. Rachel wants ocean views, Ruth wants companionship, and both want their husbands to keep living to ensure their financial security. Vivian’s life offers a daily snapshot of the ladies’ greatest fear, their potential lives without their husbands’ pensions, so their plan to mitigate any issues seemingly is a sound solution. Their antics and audacity keep the reader in stitches and some unexpected surprises mixed with shocking comedy hold the reader’s attention to the end. If miniature strokes had not driven Rachel’s husband Nick into retirement, and the couple to Oregon, Rachel and Ruth would never have met, and us readers would have been robbed of a unique experience.

The comedic parts of A Few Trivial Felonies sometimes took me by surprise, which I found refreshing. Sandra Sperling’s quirky voice added a unique perspective on common themes; for example, epithets left on bathroom walls typically point toward a person, but Rachel decided to use her skills to record “scathing opinions of the frigid region”, the indirect cause of her week of “green-drizzling [sh***]” (p. 1). The author’s expertise in simile also brought comedy to life. As a native Californian, I have never heard earthquakes described as such, but reading, ““…it wiggled as much as a two-year old sitting on a church pew” (p.3) had me giggling. Some of the comedy had more of a buildup, but the reader will find themselves tickled again and again. Clearly, the comedic pieces were my favorite parts of the book.

What I did not enjoy so much was the slow beginning. Granted, the author used the time to construct comprehensive foundations for the various characters and to establish how Ruth and Rachel would find themselves committing multiple felonies but, I found myself drifting. Still, I was determined to give the book a chance, so I kept reading and was happy with the result. The book was much more exciting once Rachel was on her own. Nick was no longer there to judge her tree-trimming activities, to disagree with her home décor choices, nor to suppress her carpentry skills so he could feel useful. Rachel also became more of an equitable contributor, rather than playing a supporting role in committing felonies with Ruth. Rachel’s strengths being brought to the surface made the story much more appealing.

I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars because the only reason I would give a higher rating is to match other reviews. I felt that the foundational work could have been expedited to hold my attention, at the beginning, since Ruth and Rachel’s felonious activities were the lure for the book. Nick was necessary at the onset, but I found myself waiting for his exit. Vivian’s backstory seemed superfluous initially because, several chapters in, I still was not clear on her relevance. She was committing crimes and trying to survive, just like the other women, but she was not likeable, so I did not want to know her. My struggles to continue reading the book initially is why I could not award an excellent (four stars) rating; however, the book had high points and some shocking twists, so awarding two stars was unacceptable.

I would recommend A Few Trivial Felonies to those who like to read about strong women, but do not mind a somewhat foul mouth and skewed moral compass. Since the book involves serious life decisions and risky behavior, the targeted audience is adults who are not easily offended and/or influenced. Additionally, readers who descend from Minnesota would find the protagonists in the book particularly interesting.

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A Few Trivial Felonies
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