Hello Everyone,
Welcome to my second post this week! If you missed yesterday's post, it was an unfavourable review of some rather popular makeup brushes so if you missed that then be sure to visit that post here, but today we are here to talk about a recent read of mine:
Say My Name is the story of Eve, a middle aged woman who is slowly drifting into surplus in a miserable marriage with a man more intent on discovering his spirit animal than paying any mind to the needs of his wife.
Eve spends her spare time searching for hidden treasures to help out her friend's antiques business between gardening work and dealing with her surly and self obsessed husband but one day her luck changes when she discovers a beautiful but damaged mystery instrument and meets the young and beautiful son of an old friend, both by chance but both carrying the opportunity for change, self discovery and satisfaction, the question is, will Eve step out of her comfort zone to chase her own inner self?
Say My Name was a fast paced and electrically charged read about the paths we take, the people we meet and the effects of it all on our being, it is about what is left when you've spent your life catering to others as a mother and devoted wife and then find yourself with an empty nest and a selfish spouse but mainly, it is a look into fixing the broken and wearing our scars well.
I gave Say My Name 3/5 stars on goodreads.
I have an extract from Say My Name below so that you can sample the writing style and see if you think this may be a book for you.
There, under a table heaped with china ofthe sort nobody uses anymore, she spots it, almost hidden behind random object s carrying price stickers faded by time.
Daylight filters thro ugh grimy windows onto worn green velvet, golden wood.
Strange ly, the case is open—as if it’ s hoping to be found.
Daylight filters thro
Strange
It’s bigger than a violin, muc h smaller than a cello. It’s fat, squarer than most instruments of its kind, with an elongat ed neck, and—this is what draws Eve in—encrusted with vines. The fragile carvings seem green er. They were once painted, may be.
Eve moves the piles of junk as ide so that she can crawl under the table. Usually she wears j eans for these expeditions, bu t it’s a hot New York summer, so this morning she chose a thin dress, counting on the intricate print to disguise any smudges. It will rip easily, though, so she tucks up the sides into her underwear to keep it off t he floor.
As she crouches down, the bone s of her knees crack. Though she’s fit and strong,her forty-e ight-year-old body is starting to show age. Her brown hair ha s almost no gray in it—good gen es, her mother would have said— but soon she’ll have to decide whether to color it. She’s never seen the point of lying about her age and, being married, s he’s less concerned about looki ng young than she might be if she were single. Still, the ugly milestone looms. She’s tied her hair in a ponytail and cover ed her head with a scarf to pr otect against cobwebs.
By profession, Eve is a garden designer.Her husband, Larry, makes enough as a product devel opment manager for a pill-coating supplier to pharmaceutical companies to enable him to tre at her little business as, basi cally, a hobby. This annoys her, but the truth is, she treats it that way too. Taking it more seriously would mean confronting Larry and claiming ownershi p of her time and priorities, w hich she is not prepared to do.
The status quo feels fragile, although it also feels as lasting as mortal life allows. All that’s required is that she keep the delicate political balance, and doesn’t rock the boat or disturb the sleeping dogs. She’s gotten into the habit of not pushing any communication past the minimum required for practical matters and the appearan ce of enough closeness to assu re her that their marriage is s ound.
The status quo feels fragile,
On weekends, guiltless and free, she searches out treasures for her friend Deborah’s antique shop. Larry doesn’t complain; she suspects he’s glad to have the house to himself. For her part, she’s glad to be away from it.
The strange objects she finds ignite her imagination, conjuring up lives more exciti ng, and more terrifying, than t he low intensity safety of her own. Today she’s exploring a northerly part of New York City that, like a tidal pool left by successive immigrant waves, houses people from nations that may or may not still exist: Ass yrians, Armenians,Macedonians, Baluchistanis. The alphabets i n which the signs are written change block by block. Neighbor hoods like this are her favorit e hunting grounds.
The strange objects she
On her hands and knees under t he table,she tugs at the instrument in its case. It shifts with a jerk, leaving a hard outl ine of oily dust on the floor. Probably it hasn’t been moved in years. She lifts it up onto a tin chest, keeping her back t o the storekeeper to disguise her interest.
The vines twine over the body of the instrument and up its neck, stretching out into the air . Though the delicacy of the ca rving is almost elfin, it has the strength of vines: blindly reaching, defying gravity.The tendrils are dotted with small flowers:jasmine, so accurately rendered that Eve identifies them instantly. A flap of velvet in the lid conceals a bow, held in place by ribbons. It, to o, is twined with curling vines .
She wiggles her fingers into the gaps between the instrument and the velvet lining, prying it loose. A moth flies out into her face and disappears in the slanting shafts of light.
Holding it by the neck, she senses another shape. With spit and the hem of her dress, she cl eans away the dust.There’s a p udgy, babyish face, the vines tightening their weave across i ts eyes.Cupid, blinded by love .
Eve pinches up dust from the f loor to dirty the face again. She has learned not to improve t he appearance of things until after the bargaining is done a nd the money has changed hands. Then she turns the instrument over.
The back is in splinters.
Eve touches her finger to the ragged shards of wood, longing to make this beautiful thing whole again. The damage must have been deliberate: an accident would have broken off the vin es. What drove that person over the brink?Musician’s frustrat ion? Rage at fate? Heartbreak? She can almost feel remnants of the emotion stuck to the gash, like specks of dried blood.
If she had it repaired, the cost would almost certainly be more than the instrument is worth. And even an expert might not be able to restore it completely. It could serve as a decorat ive item, but only if the gash stays hidden. Deborah won’t want it she has a rule against broken things. Also, she feels more comfortable with things that have names, like bowls and vases and candlesticks. Passionles s things that sit prettily in nice rooms. The history that this object bears on its back would freak her out.
Eve moves to return the instrument to its exile, but she can't bring herself to do it.Now t hat she has touched it, she ca nnot push it back into the shad ows.
Let me know if you've read Say My Name or if it sounds like something you'd enjoy reading,
Bye for now,
Rosy xx
Let me know if you've read Say My Name or if it sounds like something you'd enjoy reading,
Bye for now,
Rosy xx
I like the synopsis of it, it sounds really interesting, but I think the writing style is a bit different to what I normally enjoy x
ReplyDeleteVelvet Blush
Yeah it was a bit different for me too.
DeleteRosy | Sparkles of Light Blog
Always looking for new readings, thank you! I'm reading "The last year of Mozart" now, but then I'd change topic :)
ReplyDeletexx Elisa
Francine's Place | DIY & Lifestyle Blog
Let me know if you got round to it :)
DeleteRosy xx
This sounds like it could be a compelling summer read. It took me ages but I just finished Rich People Problems and I'm on the lookout for a new book. The descriptive style of writing actually appeals to me.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you tried it :)
DeleteRosy xx
Sounds really great!!!
ReplyDelete♘ www.sugarpopfashion.com ♘
I enjoyed it :)
DeleteRosy xx
I need to make more time for myself and read books like these hun, things just so crazy my side...
ReplyDeletewww.fashionjazz.co.za
I hope things are settling down now xx
DeleteThis sounds like a great read and the story unfortunately sounds like one that can be relatable to so many at that stage of life, from what I've heard and wintnessed. Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great day!
ReplyDeleteXo,
Jalisa
www.thestylecontour.com
Thank you, you too!
DeleteRosy xx
I think I would love to read this! We all have and take different paths throughout life.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.averysweetblog.com/
Agreed!
DeleteRosy xx
It sounds like a really interesting book! Thanks for including the little snippet of it too to help people see if it's the kind of writing they would enjoy reading :)
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a great week so far :)
Away From The Blue Blog
Thank you, you too :)
DeleteRosy xx
It sounds like a great book - loved the little snippet. Thanks for sharing - will keep an eye for it when I pop into a bookstore again.
ReplyDeletewww.pink-purpledots.blogspot.com
Let me know if you picked it up.
DeleteRosy xx
For some reason I love reading books about complicated marriages. Marriage is so hard and if both people aren’t in it its nearly impossible. It’s like a cautionary tale or a fun adventure in self discovery. Say my names looks like my type of book. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI also love that style of book, I guess I'm just curious into the lives of others.
DeleteRosy | Sparkles of Light Blog
It's not something for me as I tend to lean towards YA novels of the friendship/found family trope, but I actually think a friend of mine might like this!
ReplyDeleteSam / My Beauty Cloud
It was definitely a bit of a different read for me too.
DeleteRosy xx
This sounds like an interesting book! I definitely would read it! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletehttp://roadesque.com
http://ourruins.com
No problem :)
DeleteRosy xx
Amazing blog post!!! Love it!
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous weekend ahead!
Much love, Len
http://www.lenparent.com
Thank you
DeleteRosy xx
I'm always looking for new books to read, so maybe I'll pick it up. It's interesting to say the least, and I like books with simple writing if they use it effectively. Great review!
ReplyDeletewith love, Bash | HEY BASH
Let me know if you read it.
DeleteRosy xx
Thanks for sharing this wonderful and in depth review. It sounds like an interesting read indeed.
ReplyDeleteAdrianna x | http://mimamochi.com/
Thank you :)
DeleteRosy xx
Sounds amazing, I need to read this book!
ReplyDeleteHave an awesome day!
xx Kris
https://dreamingofpink.wordpress.com
You too :)
DeleteRosy xx
this sounds an interesting read!
ReplyDeletexoxo, rae
http://www.raellarina.net/
It certainly was :)
DeleteRosy xx
This sounds like something that I would really enjoy reading. I might have to pick it up!
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you did.
DeleteRosy xx
Thanks for sharing! I love book reviews and reading xx
ReplyDeleteLaila
www.lailabee.blogspot.co.uk
Same!
DeleteRosy xx
From the extract it sounds like a very beautifully written book. I love how you share about good reads :) Thanks for sharing! xx
ReplyDeletehttp://www.crystalchiffon.com/
I'm glad you enjoy the reviews :)
DeleteRosy xx
Thanks for sharing this wonderful blog!
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Thank you
DeleteRosy xx
Sounds like an amazing book! So pretty <3
ReplyDeleteX Merel
www.andathousandwords.com
I love the cover :)
DeleteRosy xx
it sounds like an interesting story but looking at the excerpt I don't think I've get on with the writing style. This is something I'd usually grab the audiobook for 🙈😂
ReplyDeleteHannah @ The Northern Writes | www.thenorthernwrites.co.uk
Glad I was able to help either way though :)
DeleteRosy xx
They all look great! The brush is too cute!
ReplyDeletehttp://violettedaily.com
Thank you :)
DeleteRosy xx