The Female Persuasion

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I started listening to this book because my other book holds weren't available yet through the library. I knew very little about it, and I think that was good because I might not have read it had I known more. It's a coming of age story. It's a love story. It's almost a hero's journey story. But all stories are in a very different fashion than most traditional versions. I didn't love it, but I cared to find out what happened to Greer and Corey.

I'm fascinated by the events and people that shape us most. So often we don't know when something or someone is going to change our trajectory. I had a college professor in my undergrad whose advice and example gave me permission to choose a career different than my parents wanted for. That career choice led me to people and experiences that profoundly shaped my life. Greer senses how important her mentor, Faith Frank, will be to her, but she can't articulate it or fully understand why. In the same sense, Corey's life experiences transform him in a way that young Corey never could have predicted and his fundamental shift feels authentic to how our society and younger "Millennial" are trending.

I wish I'd read this with a book club. It would make for great discussion.

Happy reading, and if possible, listening to this one. Rebecca Lowman is the narrator, and she is one of my very favorites.

(Book 79 - 2019)