Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Publisher: Time Warner Audio Books
Release Date: April 2004
ISBN: 1586216953
Awards:  
Format Reviewed: Audio CD - Abridged edition
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Genre: Fiction / General / Grief and humor
Reviewed: 2004
Reviewer: Brenda Weeaks
Reviewer Notes:  
Copyright MyShelf.com

Good Grief
By Lolly Winston

Read by Amanda Foreman

     I'm not a fan of grief fiction. After the last book I read on this subject, I swore to would avoid them at all costs. But the title and the cover of Good Grief intrigued me. I popped in the first CD and was immediately enchanted by actress Amanda Foreman's voice portraying Sophie Staton -- Sophie who is working through her grief. Married three years, she spent the last one caring for a dying husband. Sophie handles widowhood by accommodating her mother-in-law, her boss, the pottery class, the book club, the Audubon club, and even her real estate agent. But things really fall apart when Sophie shows up at work in her bath robe and replaces her business mail with a potted plant. The last time Sophie fell apart, she drove through her garage door and ended up in grief counseling. So, maybe it's time to move on, start anew, and maybe she'll take her late husband, Ethan, with her, and leave the mother-in-law in Silicon Valley. Sophie moves to Oregon to live with a friend. There Sophie discovers that by helping others, she helps herself.

     Good Grief is not the typical, depressing read about loss and recovery. Sophie is funny and heartbreaking. The dialogue flows, and the author's penned images are clear. Readers will experience Sophie's sadness, chaos, humor, and her moments of clarity. The secondary characters are sometimes quirky, but all are likable. The book is engaging, amusing, and touching. Word of mouth will make Good Grief a Best Seller. It's that good.

     Actress Amanda Foreman is best known as "Meghan Rotundi" on "Felicity." On the audio book, Foreman's gentle voice is perfect as Sophie. When you listen to the interview at the end of the story, you will discover Lolly Winston's inspiration for Good Grief. It’s a fun interview.

     Good Grief is a MUST read.