{me, this morning}

I’m almost finished reading Lauren Groff’s Fates and Furies and I Cannot.Put.It.Down. I tend to jump on the bandwagon of the books everyone else seems to be talking about. This one was a finalist for the 2015 National Book Award, and I tend to fall in love with their choices (see past book club pick All the Light We Cannot See, as well as books I’ve loved but haven’t shared yet, like Louise Erdrich’s The Round House.) So, when I kept seeing this book pop up on lists I follow and respect, I ordered a hard copy because it just felt like the type of novel to hold in my hands, not in my iPad.

The story is a portrait of Mathilde and Lotto’s marriage over the course of twenty-four years; the first half is told from his perspective, and the second half is told from hers. He is a failed actor-turned-famous playwright and she is the woman behind his success. It’s an epic love story that gradually reveals the complicated layers, cracks and secrets behind the “perfect” marriage the world is jealous of… The characters are never quite who you think they are, and neither is their relationship. Groff’s words are like art. I have about 100 pages left and I’m trying to tear through them as slowly as I can, because I’m going to be so sad when it’s over. I can’t believe the author is only 37, and crafted this story… We’re less than 10 years apart, and my greatest accomplishment thus far this week was buying 4 handles of tequila at Costco. Oh well. We’re all on our own path, I guess. Have you read this one yet? What did you think?

For past book club picks, nerd out here! What are you reading right now? I need to stock up my library now in preparation for my Christmas hibernation of food, wine and book binges.