Starlight Book Review – Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers

Cover of Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty | Image Source: Goodreads

3.6/5 I read one of Liane Moriarty’s books prior to the pandemic; I might someday post a a Starlight Book Review (SBR) of Big Little Lies. When Nine Perfect Strangers became the latest read in my book club, it pleased me that I would revisit Moriarty’s Australia. Also, I returned to my first bookish love – Fiction in this SBR.

“Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever?… These nine perfect strangers are about to find out… Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be… Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer—or should she run while she still can?… It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question….”

On the whole, I liked many facets of Nine Perfect Strangers. I enjoyed a number of the characters. In fact, I found Frances somewhat meta, maybe a reflection of Moriarty. I also liked that this seemed to be a contemporary take on an Agatha Christie mystery. Yet, I deducted some stars for two key reasons – too many points of view and length of the story. I do plan to pick up another book by Moriarty but I doubt Nine Perfect Strangers will ever be my favorite of hers.

Quotes come from book flaps/cover and are featured on color blocks.

Starlight Book Review – Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People

Cover of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman | Image Source: Goodreads

3.7/5 Fredrik Backman’s works regularly fly off the shelves at my library branch.

I noticed most, if not all, Backman titles, some not-so-Nordic Noir-ish, in recommendations for books set in Sweden when I researched books I might read for the Read Around the World Stellar Reading Challenge (SRC) in 2021. Yet, I leaned into another SRC before I let literature lead me to Sweden. I remedied that, however, when the book club I belong to chose Backman’s Anxious People as its June read.

“Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths…”

I really didn’t get into Anxious People until about halfway through the book. At first, I couldn’t locate characters who passed what I refer to as the “Dad Test” (evoking sympathy) within me as a reader. When I reached the halfway mark, I began to see softer, more appealing sides of these characters. After that, I rapidly read the rest of Anxious People. I appreciated the encouraging message Backman made through these initially difficult characters. I particularly liked octogenarian Estelle by the end of the book. Anxious People brought these characters together in this one incident; creating a catalyst for these people not so… well, anxious. I knocked off some points in my rating for the slow start but, I also have added other books by Backman to my To Be Read (TBR) Shelf.

Gnomies, which Fredrik Backman book do you recommend I add to my TBR Shelf?

Quotes come from book flaps/cover and are featured on color blocks.