Fly Away by Kristin Hannah
Genre : Domestic Fiction
Acclaimed author Kristine Hannah’s #1 New York Times bestselling books “Firefly Lane,” and “Fly Away,” a hugely popular Netflix series, are about two childhood friends whose friendship is beyond life and death.
“Once a long time ago, I walked down a night-darkened road called Firefly Lane, all alone on the worst night of my life, and I found a kindred spirit. That was our beginning, more than thirty years ago. TullyandKate. You and me against the world. Best friends forever. But stories end, don’t they? You lose the people you love and you have to find a way to go on.” The book starts and the heartache of love and loss begins.
In this book, the author depicts the lives of three generations of women – the ’60s girl who had to follow her parents’ dictum, the ’80s girls who were free to lead a life of their own – the hippie generation, and Gen X of ’90s – interwoven with a mix of all emotions – loss, sadness, sacrifice, anger all glued together through love.
Tully loses her best friend of 30 years, Kate, whom she met on Firefly Lane, and is unable to cope with her loss. Johnny, Kate’s husband, is struggling with a teenage daughter and twin sons. Tully, Johnny’s best buddy, is of no help as she is confused about how to deal with her devastated Goddaughter Marah. Her promise to her dying best friend to be a mother to her children is shattered. Tully has her own baggage to carry with an addict for a mother and a neglected childhood. This celebrity TV hostess loses her high-profile job, name, and fame in the industry due to her folly of walking out of her popular show to be with her ailing friend.
Kate’s teenage daughter Marah is devastated by the loss of her mother; grief-stricken and unreachable, she falls in love with a young man who leads her into a life rift with danger. Tully reaches the breaking point when her loving goddaughter stabs her in her back.
The only sane person here who maintains a balance is Margie, the mother of Kate, who even after the loss of her only child and in spite of her fraility, remains a pillar of strength for her daughter’s family and Kate
A totally wrecked Tully ends up in a hospital. Will her mother, who she thinks is responsible for her messed-up life, show up?
This book can be an addiction like the one Kate’s mother Cloud goes through – can’t be away from it for long.
Similar to all her other books, female bonding is most visible here. And, what extraordinary relationships! Friendship that extends beyond camaraderie, life, and death; mother-daughter relations that take seemingly grey paths but are bonded forever in deep love; Godmother-Goddaughter unsuccessfully struggling to do the right thing for the sake of their love; grandmom and granddaughter consumed by love – all shades with the same theme. Female bonding can go through all tribulations but is glued for life and beyond.
This book was written after Kristin Hannah wrote her award-winning Firefly Lane and is a sequel to it. However, the beauty is that it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read Firefly Lane but didn’t miss a thing.
Can unconditional love from the near and dear ones bring one back from the jaws of death? Read the book to know the author’s point of view.
What I like best: Feminine bonding that goes beyond life.
Rating: ***** For me, author Kristin Hannah is nothing less than five-star.
Sudhas_Musings 