Monday, May 9, 2011

THE GOODBYE QUILT


The Goodbye Quilt
Susan Wiggs, Author
ISBN 978-0-7783-2996-1

When I read the description of this book I knew that this was a book I wanted to read. You see I am a mother of a 6 ½ year old daughter and an avid crafter/fiber-artist. This book follows the story of a mother who loves to quilt, and a trip she makes with her daughter across country to take her daughter to her new college.

This book is a coming of age story not of the daughter but of the mother. We always think that we come of age only once in life, but we have many ages and many ways to enter our new life. The main character, Linda, was someone I could relate to on almost every level. She was honest about how she felt and I could relate to all of her fears and concerns not only for her daughter but for herself and her families future.

I enjoyed the pace of the book more as I got into it. The first chapter felt a little rough at first but soon I was rolling right along with it. Much like the car as it was traveling across country. I especially like the ending. It was a surprising extra treat. The only thing I think I could say I did not particularly care for was the cover art. While I got the sentiment of it, coming from a crafting background I knew that a true quilter would never be satisfied with the stitching of the appliquéd heart. However, I think that to be a very small issue and easily looked past once you open the book.

This would be a great pick for a book club or a crafting group anywhere.