Review by grace_kahinga -- The Reel Sisters

[grace_kahinga]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings is a fictional novel about four women; Sophie, Rose, Veronica, and Amanda, who have bonded over the sport of fly fishing. One day while they are out to fly fishing on the Arkansas River, they rescue Melody, a young photographer who had been taking nude photos, upstream before she slipped and fell into the raging waters which threatened to drown her. Although this event was bewildering, Rose seems more shocked and affected than the rest. Unbeknown to the other women, Rose has a dark secret that she has carried for thirty-four years. The beauty of fly fishing lies in catching and releasing. Will Rose, the one who has practiced and mastered the sport longer than the others, gain the needed courage to let go of the secret and free herself from the past?

The main recurrent theme throughout the book is friendship and its power in transforming the lives of five women. Melody is taken into the fold immediately she recovers. Though only the 23-year-old Amanda is close to her age since the others are well into their forties and above, she feels like she has found a home for the first time in her life. She is inducted into fly fishing and just like fish to water, she is hooked from the beginning. What she doesn't know is that this sport that she has suddenly stumbled on will lead her on an adventure to rediscover herself, rearrange her priorities and reconsider her perspectives on having friends and meaningful connections since she previously prided herself to be a self-reliant loner.

What I loved most about this book is the way this friendship forms a haven for these five women to overcome their insecurities and their unique problems. When Sophie is confronted by Veronica about how she keeps complaining about her non-existent love life yet, continues to sabotage every opportunity she gets, she admits her insecurity of being hurt again like her ex-boyfriend did when he cheated on her twenty years ago. Also, around her girlfriends, Amanda does not have to pretend to be strong. She is weighed down by taking care of her two toddlers alone since her husband, Mike is deployed in Afghanistan. She is also not intimidated by the fact that she is not as financially capable as the others, surviving on a shoestring budget by taking advantage of garage sales. Further, she does not refuse Sophie's assistance to help look after the children while she goes for grocery shopping, which she considers to be a mini-vacation from the rigors of her daily life.

The other compelling thing I loved is the way fly fishing has been used to act as the glue through which this friendship is nourished. Given that none of the women share similar lifestyles, careers, characters, and ages, it is obvious that they would have never met was it not for their passionate relationship with the sport. It is amazing how they can personally improve upon themselves through the lessons that fly fishing teaches. The art of listening, observation, and patience are tested constantly. Moreover, it is through fly fishing that they can overcome major challenges that face their friendship. This is especially demonstrated when one night during a heavy storm, Amanda is killed in a car accident. This sport gives them space to grieve and mourn their friend while reminiscing their memories together. It acts as the vehicle that facilitates their moving on and further cement the friendship among the remaining four women.

The book is divided into sections whose titles adhere to a fly fishing theme. I particularly liked this because they serve as a curtain-raiser for the chapters that follow. Also, it is easy to follow and identify with each phase that this friendship goes through. It is also worthy to note that the novel is well edited. I did not encounter any grammar or spelling mistakes which undoubtedly created a flawless reading experience for me. The only thing I disliked was the oversharing of thoughts in Melody's chapters. I found the many interjections of Melody's thoughts after every few lines to be really annoying and sometimes, unnecessary. Also, there was an instance where Veronica and her husband, Thatcher, hold a long dialogue via phone texts whose monotonous tone was rather boring.

However, despite those two instances that I disliked, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is an exceptionally good read, nevertheless. I strongly recommend this book for all women especially those with active career lives or busy with motherhood roles, but struggling to strike a balance and maintain meaningful friendships. Nonetheless, it is not limited to this demographic only. For anyone who is looking to gain new friends and cultivate those friendships or wondering which sport they can bond over with their friends, this is the book to start with.

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The Reel Sisters
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