From Publishers Weekly
Warns Bella, the protagonist of Bellows's debut, "You only get so many chances in life to make a wish"; at 8½ in 1974, what Bella wants most is to be a bride. Over the course of three decades, Bella's wishes change: they include not wanting to be embarrassed by her twin, Bobby, who has Asperger's; getting into Notre Dame; and not making a fool of herself on live TV. The childlike voice in which much of the book's first part is written ("Grandina always had enough love and kisses to go around, even when I'd be scared or sad and need a second helping of hugs to feel full") may strike some readers as contrived, as may the franglais in which Bella and her best "boy friend, two words" speak well into adulthood, and the surreal insight with which Bella's brother pegs her relationships. The novel fast-forwards through Bella's life, skipping years at a time (chapter headings orient readers by listing Bella's age, current idol, favorite song, most prized possession and best pair of shoes). Those looking for a three-decade slice of life will find the overarching story of Bella's coming to terms with her brother and finding love moving; others may wish the story's forward pull felt like more than just chronology.
(Oct. 4) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Bella Grandelli has always wanted two things: to find Mr. Right and to have her autistic twin brother, Bobby, be normal. Throughout Bellows' debut novel, which begins in the '70s and concludes in the 2000s, Bella goes through many men, but her wish for Bobby, who spouts off lines from
Star Trek and
Bugs Bunny and cannot bear to be touched or to be cured, goes unfulfilled. It's not just Bobby that Bella wishes would change--she struggles with her weight and her unruly curls. The men who pass through Bella's life include a high-school lothario who takes an interest in her one summer, a sensitive British painter she meets while abroad in England, a slick bartender with an obsessive ex-girlfriend, and even her childhood best friend who has seen her through every relationship. Bobby's problems continue to haunt her, as she feels guilt over her normal existence and resentment over her parents' devotion to Bobby. Bella is a charming heroine, and many young women will see their own struggles mirrored in hers.
Kristine HuntleyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
