When We Believed in Mermaids
When We Believed in Mermaids ~ Barbara O’Neal
Dr. Kit Bianchi, an emergency room physician living in Santa Cruz, California, happens to catch a news story on TV about a fire in New Zealand. In the background of the news story, she sees her sister, Josie. The same Josie who died in a terrorist attack 15 years ago in Paris. Kit’s mom also saw the story, and asks Kit to go to New Zealand and see what the hell is going on.
In Auckland, Mari is a happily married mother of two who flips houses for a living. Her newest project is a house she wants to fix up and live in with her family, on the bluffs above the sea. She is reminded of her childhood in Santa Cruz, when she and her sister had to look after themselves because their parents were self-absorbed and focused on each other and their restaurant. Of course, Mari and Josie are the same person. How we got here is the majority of the novel, how we move on is the rest.
I found this story compelling and enjoyed it quite a bit. It was shocking to me that a character who was a child in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake could be an ER doctor now (because it makes me feel old), but there we are. Recommended.
7 Comments
Kyria @ Travel Spot
Yet another book I have not read! It looks like a good one, and got great reviews on GR! I will have to put it on my TBR! I was a kid during the Loma Prieta, and like many, remember being in the middle of watching the World Series when all hell broke loose. My Dad went to the the city with his video camera that he had to heft on his shoulder to take footage from the ferry (since the bridge was closed) and to check on his friends!
J
Oh goodness, how harrowing. I was living in SF at the time, and I remember being scared for a minute that our house was going to collapse. Scary!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
Happy to hear you enjoyed this book and would also recommend it. You know I loved it. I am planning on reading some other books by this other in the coming weeks.
J
I’m glad you reviewed it on your blog, Tobia, thank you! I can’t give credit to who suggested a book because I don’t keep track, so I completely forgot.
Jenny
This sound really good, and I haven’t heard of it. I can see that by the end of this month, my TBR is going to be out of control.
Maya
Oooh! Another one I want to read. Both because A is an E.R. doc and I’ve always been intrigued by stories about people who used 9-11 style events to forge a new life for themselves…
NGS
YES! Pedestrian writing, but such a good plot and a love letter to California and New Zealand. And such a lovely way to write about trauma. I really liked this one, too.