Fiction #6 in 2009 – Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and a Daughter – A Novel by Alice Kuipers

Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and a Daughter – A Novel by Alice Kuipers

From Publishers Weekly (amazon.com):

Kuipers’s haunting debut unfolds like a flip book of half-drawn images too swiftly ended, a compilation of tantalizing notes posted on a refrigerator by a single working mom and Claire-bear, her wistful teen daughter. Bittersweet, funny and achingly real, the nameless mother (an overworked obstetrician) and bubbly Claire communicate through these notes instead of talking, e-mailing or text messaging. Missives range from the daughter’s plainly impassioned (Hi MOM! (Who I never see anymore EVER!)) to her mother’s soothing, tough-upper-lip responses written during her breast cancer treatment. Kuipers captures the anxiety surrounding tragedy and conveys the importance of fully experiencing life. Although the format has its limits (notably in character development and narrative momentum), Kuipers delivers a strong, emotional reminder about the importance of loved ones, even through times of unceasing complications and challenges.

My thoughts:

• After reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I wanted to read another book written in a similar format. This book is an exchange of Post-It notes between a single mother and daughter.

• A very, very quick read (like 20-30 minutes quick), so even if you don’t like it, it doesn’t waste too much of your time. Although the characters don’t have much depth and it’s a rather simple story, it’s still a little touching (probably because I haven’t seen my mum for 5 years, so mother-daughter stories get to me.)

• Though it’s difficult not to think after reading this “novel” (using the term loosely) that, Hey, I can write this and have a book published too!