Review of The Weed Lady

[Pankti B]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Weed Lady" by Shea R Embry.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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One can never predict what or who will draw you in, especially when you least expect it. It was a morning like many others for Jesi when she first saw the weed lady; little did she know this would start a chain of actions that’ll change her life!

The Weed Lady by Shea R Embry is a sequel to her first novel ‘Backcomb & Tattoo’. At the center of this story is Jesi’s obsession with a weed lady that shows up on her lawn one morning pulling weeds with tears running down her face. All the key characters in the story - Jesi, Nicole, Rachael, the weed lady, and George, are burdened by grief. This grief makes them real; and this grief is what carries the story. They are all pulling weeds, deep and shallow, trying to get to the core.

However, the characters feel alien oftentimes through the course of the story. The author is good at expressing their grief, but other emotions are rushed. The story keeps you involved but runs real quick, and in doing so, it frequently skims through important conversations, and heart-to-hearts that help a reader connect with the characters (some spoiler-free instances include Nicole and Jesi coming together after the huge fight, coming to an agreement with George among others).

The friendship between the three ladies brings in lightness and will remind you to catch up with your girls. The brief interactions with the weed lady are touching. You might disagree with Jesi and question her decisions (multiple times at that!), but her character develops throughout the book, making her engaging. Nicole and Rachael are both forces to reckon with, and it feels like a waste to have their characters not explored enough.

This metaphor of pulling weeds hit hard. It reminds one to always be kind, have empathy, as the surface will never tell you how deep the roots run. This was my biggest takeaway from this story. I will rate this book 3 out of 5. It is an easy read with some hard-hitting moments but also misses the mark sometimes.

Whether you decide to read the book or not, I’ll leave you with a quote that you must read:
“Sometimes weeds are so deep that the effort to remove them seems impossible. But if you stay with it and follow the roots, eventually you get to the core. Other times you don’t.”
-Shea R Embry

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The Weed Lady
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