July
17
One Day We’re All Going to Die by Elise Esther Hearst
Cheery title I know but don’t let it dissuade you from reading this fresh pearl. I polished it off last night in a fevered frenzy and today am left with huge black bags under my eyes and an urgency to tell you to grab it – especially if you are a Lily Brett fan.
This is Hearst’s debut novel but when I say it is reminiscent of a Lily Brett book, that is a huge compliment to Hearst. Lily Brett is my all-time favourite author so getting this sort of storytelling right is no mean feat. Think of a good Woody Allen movie (before you knew what Woody Allen was like) and you get the pace of this book and the character profiles.
Naomi is 27 and Jewish. She works for the Museum of Jewish Heritage and is fascinated by lost and sacred things. Her family are central to her life especially Cookie, her grandmother and Holocaust survivor. The story is all about Naomi navigating bad dates, surviving a toxic affair with a work colleague (he was utterly revolting – he was married, shocker), poor choices in life generally all while under the glare and weight of her family’s love and constant (daily, but hourly, when possible) attention.
Like Lily Brett, Hearst skilfully brings together neurosis, honesty and oddity and weaves it together with humour. It is magic. I love books where while you read them, the potential movie of the story plays vibrantly and loudly in your mind. Almost like a backdrop. This is what this book was like for me so basically Readheads, it was pure joy.
But that is just my two cents worth.
Readhead 