Defining Dulcie was a very sweet book. Dulcie's dad dies and her mom drags her to the other side of the country to a place where everyone within the county doesn't know her life story. Dulcie doesn't react to her father's death like her mother, and wants nothing more than to cling to everything familiar. In reaction, as soon as her mom announces she'll be selling her husband's beloved truck, Dulcie decides that she's had enough and steals said truck to drive across the country alone and live with her grandfather back in the hometown. Of course, when she gets home a few key things have changed and she suddenly finds friendship where she never would have anticipated. I don't know if any of that made sense, but I really loved this book. It was poignant and funny. The characters were vibrant.
Rachel E pointed out that she found it entirely unrealistic that a mother would a) leave town after her kid loses her father, b) that she would let her kid stay with the grandfather and c) actually go with that conclusion (ie it can't be that easy legal-wise). I disagree with her while admitting that 'c' might be slightly improbable. I totally understand 'a' and don't really see the problem with 'b' and 'c's issues didn't bother me as the story and characters were so wonderful. But as I'm not going to tell you the ending, you'll just have to go read it for yourself and tell me what you think.
For a more complete review see Bookshelves of Doom. It's because of her I read the book anyway. However, if the first two pages don't capture you - I hereby decry that you have no soul. Sorry. (side note: read those bits during an endless car ride with my parents. Found it even funnier with that painful contrast.)
2 comments:
Ok, you forgot one part, that I actually really enjoyed the book while I was reading it and liked the characters. It was when I finished that I went, but wait, I don't believe it. So, there's that, for what it's worth.
Hey....only 1/3 of the trip was painful.
Mom
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