Crazy To Leave You

by Marilyn Simon Rothstein

[Jeff Sexton]

Solid Tale Of Discovering Yourself In Mid-Life. There is an overarching theme through many of the lower-starred reviews (at least as I read Goodreads early on release day, just after finishing the book myself) that they "didn't know where this tale was going". To me... *this is the very point of the book*. Our main character suddenly finds herself directionless after what she thought she had in the bag collapses around her, and we get to watch as she picks up the shattered pieces and rediscovers herself - and discovers her voice for possibly the very first time - in the aftermath. In this, Rothstein does a truly tremendous job of having a solid combination of support and antagonism - often in the same supporting characters. Thus showing that *everyone* is flawed to some degree, but also that *everyone* is good to some degree as well. The banter is great, the emphasis on her time at summer camp as a teen is excellent nostalgia reminiscent of Wet Hot American Summer, the slow burn romance is well executed, and even the very serious issues discussed - workforce discrimination (though never truly fleshed out there), diet "culture", overbearing but well intentioned parents, etc - are done well, with just enough weight to give substance without becoming truly overbearing. Very much recommended.