Cecelia Ahern: One Hundred Names
2012-published book for my version of the In Case You Missed It challenge
That’s not my rating of the novel; it’s the number of people that the journalist at the heart of this story was able to interview in order to fulfill the dying wish of her former editor and mentor…
This was a quick read (though it’s relatively long); it’s a popular-level work of fiction from a popular and successful contemporary Irish novelist. There is a basic credibility to the plot, which kept me going, but of course it’s also quite incredible… There were rather a lot of characters for me to keep up with who was who (of course, if I slowed down the reading and took just a little more time, I might have done better on that score). The protagonist, Kitty, is a journalist for whom I should have little sympathy on the basis of her actions and the mess she finds herself in at the beginning of the story, but she’s presented as likeable and I found myself mostly on her side and wanting her to come out on top. Which, of course, she did. That’s something I want to reflect on: how did the author get me on the side of this woman, rather than against her?
The book pulled me out of a bit of a reading slump, and I’m glad for that.
Edited to add: This book counts for the scroll-and-pen symbol on the Picture Prompt Bingo Challenge, as it’s all about a journalist writing stories.
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