Very Charming
Eighty And Out by Kim Cano is a very charming and beautiful novel. The narrative sank into my heart and soul.
This is a book about a life and the relationships formed along the way. It is a book that is easy to empathise with – this could be any one of us. When we are young, we fear getting older – checking out at eighty seems sensible! However, as we get older, we realise that life is for living – carpe diem – seize the day!
Snippets of a life are shown over the years. We witness the awful persecution of African Americans in the 1950’s, even in the North.
In school, the lead character is ostracised for daring to be friendly to the new girl who is an African American. In her neighbourhood there is persecution and intimidation. “Shouldn’t we see if they need help?”… “I don’t think it’s a good idea,’ Dad cautioned. ‘It’s best not to get involved.” The grown-ups shy away from helping as they fear personal reprisals. Only a young girl feels empathy and has a conscience.
We witness friendship, and the heartache when one of a pair moves away to college. Even in 1960’s girls were held back from being educated. “Why do you want to go to college?’… A girl getting an advanced education was unheard of.”
The Vietnam War was an unpopular war in America. Boys were called up to fight. Some never came home. Others came home, physically okay but mentally damaged. “I made eye contact with him and wondered what unspeakable horrors he’d experienced over there, he had never told anyone.”
There was a beautiful bond between sisters. Death comes knocking. Grief is hard. “As I watched [her] casket being lowered into the ground, I felt part of me die. [Her] faith in me was my greatest strength. Without her, I was weak.” Death keeps on knocking. “All he can really do is take it day by day.” The road of loss is a hard one to travel. It is literally, one step in front of another.
We want the world to stop turning. “Life just kept coming and I didn’t have a choice.” We have to keep going – and one day we will realise that life is for living again.
Eighty & Out is a beautiful book that I never wanted to end. I loved Kim Cano’s easy style of writing. I look forward to reading more by her.
