Smothered

by Autumn Chiklis

Eloise "Lou" Hansen is graduating from Columbia University summa cum laude, and she's ready to conquer the world. Just a few minor problems: she has no job, no prospects, and she's moving back into her childhood bedroom. Lou is grimly determined to stick to a rigorous schedule to get a job and get out of her parents' house. Shelly "Mama Shell" Hansen, on the other hand, is ecstatic, and just as determined to keep her at home. Who else will help her hide her latest binge-shopping purchases from her husband, go to SoulCycle with her, and hold her hand during Botox shots?

Smothered is a hilarious roman a clef told via journal entries, text messages, emails, bills, receipts, tweets, doctor's prescriptions, job applications and rejections, parking tickets, and pug pictures, chronicling the year that Lou moves back home after college. Told from Lou's point-of-view, Smothered tells the story of two young(ish) women, just trying to get it right, and learning that just because we all grow up doesn't mean we necessarily have to grow old. (After all, what is Juvaderm for?)

• ISBN10: 1250150493
• ISBN13: 9781250150493
• Publish Date: 1 May 2018
• Publish Status: Cancelled
• Imprint: Wednesday Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This book was so much fun! And it was exactly what I needed. Lou's story was amusing, but also relatable, and it left me in high spirits.

Lou was at this crossroads in her life. Her time as an overachieving student was coming to an end, and now she had to figure out what comes next. She was sort of adrift, and also struggling to readjust to life back in her childhood home. I found myself really invested in Lou's success. I wanted her to get her act together, to come clean with her family, and to accomplish some of those items on her goals list. It was quite satisfying to see her making strides and growing into her new adult life.

I adored the format of this book. This story was mostly told via journal entries, therefore, we were pretty much in Lou's head for the entire book, and it was quite a hilarious place to be. The combination of Lou's wit, humor, and all the over the top characters left me with either a smile on my face or audibly laughing. The journal entries were interspersed with Instagram photos, text messages, Facebook posts, letters, and articles, which just added to my enjoyment.

However, this story was not simply all fun, it was also quite heartfelt. It was about struggling and adjusting to change, and I found it quite easy to relate to many things in this book. First, I remember having that same kind of lost feeling when my formal schooling came to an end, and I found myself nodding, often, while Lou reflected on her lack of direction. I also related to the story from Shelly's point of view. She was a mom facing an empty nest, and it was terrifying for her. Though she has a fun group of friends, her pugs, and a multitude of interests, she still felt as though her most important role was being a mother. So, I would say that Mama Shell was feeling a little lost as well.

Chiklis did a wonderful job capturing all those emotions and the confusion that accompany dealing with big life changes. I was a fan of how she was able to keep the story fun and light, while still giving it some heart and depth.

Overall: A delightful tale, which I think could appeal to both mothers and daughters, as well as new graduates, who are beginning their post graduate lives.