Driftwood

Rating:
Summary: Liberating and Moving - Coming Out Story
Review: I found this novel a thoroughly enjoyable read.

At one level this novel seems like it is just the simple coming out story of Rita. But if fact it really is so much more.
Rita has been in her loveless marriage with Paul for 15 years when a chance meeting with the beautiful and unique, nomad Beth changes her life.

Rita's road to self understanding and her growing love toward Beth is a pleasure to watch unfolding.

With only 167 pages I did think it would be great if it was a little longer but at the same time the story itself was so full and complete at that length that I didn't end up feeling like anything had been left out.

Driftwood is a fast paced, funny, touching,loving, light, but at the same time, life changing novel.

It is filled with of wisdom about life and love that I think will effect most readers. After reading this novel I sat down and and had a good look at my own life and started asking myself some important questions.

I look forward to reading more novels of this calibre from Beth Mitchum.

Rating:
Summary: Maybe a 4 or a 2 - Hard to tell
Review: This is kind of a quirky book. It's not very long, but I hurried to get through it. Then I wasn't sure if I liked it when I got to the end. It's the story of two very different women. Beth describes herself as a lesbian nomad. She cut her ties years before and lives her life to the fullest, moving from place to place, leaving jobs and relationships before they get boring. Her one constant is her music and her determination to live her life as honestly as she can. Rita has been trapped in a fifteen year marriage to a man she never loved. She realizes this after a chance encounter on a beach with Beth. Two things make this book an uneasy read. Rita realizes in a matter of hours after just meeting and talking to Beth that she not only has never loved her husband, but she's been a lesbian all her life and is falling desperately in love with Beth. In a matter of a few hours, Rita turns her life inside out and never has a second thought about it. Beth meanwhile is constantly spouting philosophy about life, relationships, women and women, women and men, and anything else that comes up. There's a good story in this book, but it often gets caught up in a philosophy lesson. There is a hook at the end that will make you cry. This isn't the book for an enjoyable afternoon read, but, if you're looking for one that will make you think about your life and the decisions you've made, this is it. My copy of the book is signed by the author and she' written in the front, "Believe in transformation". You have to if you're going to read this book.