Losing Clementine by Ashley Ream
March 6, 2012 by William Morrow
Paperback, 320 Pages
Review Copy
Art comes easy to Clementine, the world of color, the ease of her fingers on a canvas, the smell of the world around her...although that is not the case for her in ordinary life. Bogged down with mental illness, Clementine rides a roller-coaster in her own confused mind due to a nonexistent father, the loss of her mother and sister at fifteen and a deep sense of abandonment caused by years of neglect.
Past issues compound into future issues causing a failed marriage, years spent in zombie-land due to the vast amount of antidepressants and drugs Doctor's have put her on, months of feeling nothing and other times when she felt free, creative and wild just to fight the "black monster" as Clementine calls it, who claims her joy and leaves her a blob of nothing without the medication. Either way with or without medication, she's living a life from both sides in complete misery. But that's all going to change now, because Clementine has had it......shes done with those feelings, she's over the nothingness, she's so over it that in 30 days she will no longer be alive.
Determined to end her life, Clementine decides to tie up lose ends, in which she fires her best friend and assistant Jenny, makes emends with her past, become friends with her X-husband Richard and tries to find a loving home for her weird cat Chuckles. Clementine is not going to spend her last month in a state of zombie-girl though, so in this case the only thing to do is be drastic. She tosses all her medication, flushes it down the toilet, buys a casket and decides to live life like she never has for her last 30 days. Determined to go out with a bang, our complicated hero says things she's always been afraid to say, confronts things she's always been scared to face, eats everything her tongue desires and has sex all without the numbness. On day 25, a trip to Tijuana with her X, Richard (to buy the drug that will kill her) changes a few things in her plan and by the end of week two, Clementines iron clad determination begins to crack........riding the journey with her is just the first step into this complicated and intriguing woman's life.
Told completely through the voice of Clementine, who presents us with a feisty, witty and snarky character, readers count down the days as each chapter signifies a day starting from 30...to the end. Clementines past is hard to stomach, its scary and haunting and certainly helps you understand her frame of mind in the present, how suicide could seem so indifferent to her, like just baking a cake or something. But as readers we also see the artist that lives inside Clementine and the tender spots she has in her heart, not everything is cut and dry, black and white......she truly is a character we wind up rooting for.
Despite the seriousness and tragedy of mental illness and suicide, I really loved this book because it explored so many layers of a deeply developed character. Its ultimately a very well researched and defined story about love, family illness and a surprising adoration for food.
Rating
Losing Clementine is recommended to adult readers and contains: Sexuality (one graphic scene) strong language, mental illness disorders (depression-Bi-polar) child abuse, drug and alcohol use.
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
4/5- Contemporary-Women's Fiction
Thanks to William Morrow and TLC Book Tours for Review Copy
About the Author
Ashley Ream got her first job at a newspaper when she was sixteen. After working in newsrooms across Missouri, Florida and Texas, she gave up deadlines to pursue fiction. She lives in Los Angeles and works at a nonprofit.
I keep wondering if I should try this one. Great review.
ReplyDeleteAwesome review! Definitely sounds intense and I like the multi-layered story plot and characters. It's a bit too dark for me, but I might try it when I'm in the mood for an intense read.
ReplyDeleteWow, now you have me at the edge of my seat wondering if what happened. It does sound like a story that would be hard to stomach, but it also sound like really profound journey of a woman who's lost and just trying to find her way. I know that feeling, so I think I'd be able to connect to the character instantly.
ReplyDeleteSounds like we really get to know Clementine in this story, and I love that feeling of kinship with a character - like they've gotten under my skin and I feel like I know them beyond just the words that tell me about them. Wonderful review Tina!
ReplyDeleteThis novel sounds really intense but also really enlightening. Tough subjects are hard to read about, but I think that when done well they add a depth to the novel and the characters.
ReplyDeleteThis really sounds like a very emotional book. I think in those kinds of books it is essential to connect with the characters and have the journey believable. It looks like that is accomplished and so I am very curious about this book. Fab review!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed this one in spite of the heavy nature of the story. Thanks for being on the tour!
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