4 out of 4 stars
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The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings is a collection of experiences. These were written from the perspectives of five women: Rose, Sophie, Veronica, Amanda, and Melody. Rose is a widow and the oldest of the lot, Sophie owns a greenhouse where she cultivates various crops, Veronica is the CEO of a coaching organization, Amanda is a teacher, and Melody is a photographer. These women with the initial exclusion of Melody, meet seasonally to participate in the hobby of flyfishing together. The story is an assemblage of the experiences of these women in their respective words.
The story begins on a very passive note, but gradually heightens and eventually ends with the least expected. The book brings together the diaries of these women, the personal challenges they pass through in their personal lives, and how flyfishing helped in providing helpful insights. Of the various diaries assembled, the character that has got to me, was that of Amanda. Here you find a young woman, a mother of two, the wife of a soldier who is obliged to defend his country, and a teacher struggling to make ends meet for her kids while dealing with the absence of her husband. I was touched by her story and was really sad about what befell her. Rose was also another victim of circumstances, bearing the pain of losing a loved one for so many years.
The book brought to the reader the realities that many women worldwide often faced, and how simple events such as flyfishing could help to lessen the burdens borne from the hassles of life. I was thrown into a very sober mood as I read on and on. Michelle Cummings wrote an outstanding story and presented it as a collection of personal diaries. It's something she needs to be commended for. The book was also well-edited and I found no errors. However, there were several instances of profane language used by the characters especially Melody.
What I loved most about the book was its realistic nature. It addressed very common issues that women often face. These problems are not peculiar to one country. It has a global occurrence. What I disliked about the book was the occasional use of vulgar words. It interrupted the reading tempo on many occasions.
I am rating the book four out of four stars. The end of the story moved me to tears and I commend the author for raising very sensitive issues that affect women through this story.
I am recommending the book to the women, single and married alike. I believe that we all can sieve out a lesson or two from this story.
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The Reel Sisters
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