Book review! Paging Aphrodite

Paging Aphrodite, by Kim Green ~~

This was a perfect beach read. You can probably tell by the cover. An older book from 2004, I had picked it up on one of my trips to a bookstore to peruse the sale tables, even when I knew that I have a to-read list ten miles long. But I still check out with a pile of books anyway. (I bet you can identify with this, yes?) So Paging Aphrodite was sitting there waiting patiently for me on my bookshelf when I had to go to Hawaii for a conference.

I know, a conference in Hawaii. Terrible. But getting to and from Hawaii is not the easiest thing in the world from North Carolina. On the way there I worked on a presentation, but I had an entire day after the conference before I caught my evening flight back home. So, blessedly alone, no responsibilities or kids or anything else to deal with, I rented a beach chair for the day and devoured this book.

It was FANTASTIC. (Below is actual footage of my day.)

Kim Green’s Paging Aphrodite sees for women in different stages of their lives come together on the gloriously exotic Greek island of Corfu. A young writer dying to make her mark, a young wife deserted after only ten days of marriage, a Catholic girl dedicated to her career while convinced she was born to be a bride, and a wife with two grown boys and a cheating husband. These ladies happen across each other, commiserating and seeking answers to questions about their lives that might not actually exist. Over the summer, the ladies blend with the locals and become part of the authentic fabric of the island, in a lovely mixture of small town, but vacation adventure dramas.

With all four perspectives represented and woven together in a charming holistic narrative, Green deftly addresses familiar themes in the lives of the women. I became invested in the emotions of the characters, heavy in deep disappointment, but swinging lightly - eventually - into hope, perseverance, and deep bonds that form from chance encounters. Like any good to beach read, lightheartedness abounds and happy endings are had by all, though they may not be the endings the characters were hoping for. If you were in need of something to pass the hours with your toes in the sand, Paging Aphrodite is a great choice.

I'd love to hear your thoughts if you've read Paging Aphrodite. And I've got more coming, so sign up for my mailing list here. It would be great to hear from you!