Book Review: The Change by Kirsten Miller

My Rating:

4.5⭐

Loved it!

How much? Paired it with audio over a seven hour road trip and stayed up till 2 a.m. to finish reading! I just could not put it down!

UPDATED REVIEW:

First and foremost, I wouldn’t have picked up this book if it hadn’t been for the amazing reviews written by some of my GR friends! Thank you for recommending such an amazing book!

Nessa James, a former nurse and mother of two daughters who are away at college, is gifted with the power of sight – a gift passed down through generations in her family. She can hear the voices of the dead and can also see them. She is a kind-hearted woman who will do everything in her power to help those calling for her help from the other side.

“There’s a dead girl down by the ocean who needs our help. She’s been calling to me, and she won’t be found unless I go look for her.”

Harriett Osborne, once a successful advertising executive has since been sidelined by her male counterparts. Divorced from her husband, she now lives alone in her home with its wild garden (the HOA has major issues, but Harriet knows how to handle them), and has gained repute as the resident “witch“ of the community with her herbs and seeds and weird concoctions causing trouble for some but also proving helpful for others.

“‘Witch’ is the label society slaps on women it can’t understand or control.”

Jo Levison, former hotel manager, presently owns and operates a gym catering to female clientele. She is married and is the mother of eleven-year-old Lucy. Her hot flashes manifest into fierce energy and strength.

“Nessa was the light in the darkness. Harriett was the punishment that fit the crime. She was the rage that would burn it all to the ground.”

When the three friends, guided by Nessa’a power of sight find the body of a young girl discarded in a garbage bag in a secluded area on Danskammer Beach, the local police lean towards writing the victim off as a drug-addicted sex worker. But this is just the beginning of a series of events that leads to the uncovering of a complex web of secrets, corruption and criminal activity in the affluent community of Mattauk. Together, Nessa, Jo and Harriet make a formidable trio and anyone guilty of these atrocious crimes against women and young girls better beware!

With its fluid narrative, interesting characters, absorbing suspense and a healthy dose of humor, fantasy and magical realism thrown into the mix I found Kirsten Miller’s The Change to be UNPUTDOWNABLE! The author does a brilliant job in characterizing these three women each with distinctive personalities and backgrounds. Each of these characters are well fleshed out and their backstories are diligently developed. Touching 470+ pages (on my Kindle), this is one of those rare books that never loses its pace or feels long-drawn. The author touches upon many important themes such as the glass ceiling and discrimination in the workplace, gender-related stereotyping, misogyny, sexism, ageism and sexual abuse of minors. The author highlights multiple instances of women being treated disrespectfully - at home, in the workplace and in general. Needless to say, most of the male characters in this story are not very likable. Some descriptions (and language) are graphic and might be disturbing for some readers. You might find similarities between the crimes and criminals depicted in this work of fiction with actual events that we have come across in the news in recent times.

I was hesitant about picking up this book because I was wary of how women going through this phase in life would be depicted. It was so refreshing to see women in their late 40s being represented as perceptive and willful individuals who not only support one another but empower one another. The author creates characters whose life experiences have contributed to their strength, capabilities and sharp-wit in a positive way . Are they perfect? No. But they are interesting and inspiring. Overall, this was an engaging and enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend! I switched between the Kindle version and the audiobook with this one and I must commend January LaVoy for her superb narration of this story. She was able to voice all three of these characters perfectly! I thoroughly enjoyed both listening to the audio and reading the book!