The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (and Their Muses)
The refurbished mansion is now home to individuals who once had their hands in publishing. From writers to editors, the rooms are now filled with individuals who have gathered together to finish out their remaining years. Working as an orderly, Cecibel enjoys hiding amongst the famous wards, for they don’t ask many personal questions and she’s able to go about her work, unnoticed.
Alfonse will be arriving soon to fill a vacancy and his arrival is causing quite a stir, especially with Cecibel. Alfonse is Cecibel’s idol and she took great care in getting his room ready.
This novel was such a joy to read. I laughed as Olivia took her medicine out in the yard. As she lit her joints and she smoked her marijuana (medicine), her pains went away and she moved more graciously. Sometimes, she even commented on how stoned she was. The residents sometimes talked about literature when they got together. They all knew that each one of them had their own special talent and had a success. At this point in their life, they all valued one another and they had a special bond with each other.
When Alfonse arrives, Cecibel is thrilled and Alfonse basks in the attention and the admiration that she places on him. Cecibel changes too and by the end of the novel, she’s a different person. With Alfonse on the premises, this once retired group suddenly becomes passionate again about their gifts and a few of them feel that they need to pick up their pens and work. An entertaining and incredible journey develops and it was heartwarming to be a fly on the wall and watch it evolve.
We’re taken back in history to see how things developed and we see some romances cropped up along the way, but there was nothing that took over the whole novel.
Wouldn’t that be wonderful if a place like Bar Harbor Retirement Home actually existed? To think that these talented individuals could come together and reminisce about their glory days. Then, to think what would happen if they decided to take up the pen together and write? What would transpire? What about a mixing of genre writers? This makes me smile.
I won a copy of this book from Harper Collins in their August Grab Bag Sweepstakes. Thank you, Harper Collins. This review is my own personal opinion.
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: A Novel - Terri-Lynne DeFino)