Book Review: Firefly Lane.

Firefly Lane came available at my library just in time for my trip to Indiana for 10 days I hoped to spend a good bit of reading. It was the December book club choice which I keep track of even on months when I can't make it to the meetings. I clicked through the reviews and thought, this sounds worthwhile. I popped by the library the day before I left town and had this in tow for a week in midwest winter.

It goes without saying that friendship plays a huge role in all of our lives. Whether in times where we feel friendship is lacking or times when our friends are our families. I spent years having many, shallow relationships only to find that the most rewarding friendships are when you cut out some of the fringe and dig in deep with the friends you can really 'do life' with. In the past few years I've really come to realize the value of a 'best friend'.

Hannah's story follows two friends from middle school through adulthood and beyond in her recent novel, Firefly Lane. A prototypical 'easy read', it was a great vacation book. Simple writing, simple story line, rather predictable but entertaining. You follow TullyandKate through the tumultuous teen years, through college scandals, first jobs, growing up and at times - growing apart.

You see the danger of sharing it all from family to first loves. Lines are crossed. Boundaries broken. You question whether love can prevail and at what point you have to leave someone behind to truly find yourself.

For me perhaps the most though provoking theme that came from the book was that people who go after their dream careers lose out at love. That you can't replace having a family with having a successful career. Is this true? Do you have to lose at one to win at the other? Wherein lies the balance? At what cost does fame and fortune come?

I'd give Hannah's Firefly lane a 6.5. If any of you decides to read it, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts, the book club response was really split.

Love,
B