One Plus One

One Plus One by Joho Moyes             Audio Book: 12 hours, 19 mins.        Paperback Book:  432 pages                   

 

Great story.  O.K. the lead character made me really angry at times, but, that is the sign that the author really has the reader fully engaged when you are so committed to the story that what these fictional characters do, per the stroke of the writer, can elicit emotional responses from the captivated reader.    So good Jojo Moyes writing is.     Lead character, Jess, is in a financial nightmare.   Her husband has left her with two kids, his teenage son through an affair he had with a meth addict that is dumped on their doorstep by the mother  when the boy is 8 years old.   Jess’ heart goes out to him so she is all for raising him, then she and her husband have a daughter, Constanza.   One day, the husband just decides to up and leave and moves back in with his mother leaving Jess and the kids high and dry.   The Dad stops working so survival of the family is now on Jess’ shoulders.   She doesn’t hassle her ex because she feels he is having mental issues and just needs some time away.    They live in a dodgy area where a family of bullies runs the neighborhood and the school.    The family of bullies are real low-lifes that are always picking on the kids and harassing, beating up or stealing from all the neighbors.    Jess is trying to stay ahead of the bill collectors and keep food on the table so she works two jobs, tending bar (pub) and working with her best friend and co-worker at the bar cleaning houses whenever they can get a job.  The kids get hassled at school and in the neighborhood, the son uses mascara in a rock star/Goth/Punk kind of way more as artistic expression of who he is not as a sexual expression.   He has no friends at school and is constantly used as the bullies’ punching bag.   His sister is a Math Wiz even though she is just 8 years old now herself.   The other kids, less educationally minded give her grief, too.    She also has no friends and has to constantly keep an eye out for the bullies to whom age nor gender matter if they want to do something awful to you they will.   Respect is not in their category.    Then there is the millionaire stock trader up on charges for insider trading.    So much goes on in the story, some will make you laugh, gasp and at least one part will make you cry.     Everyone in the story starts out as one way but all go through radical trials by fire.    An excellent story it will keep you wanting to get to the end to see how it all ends up.   Man!   Good book.   So much to tell but not to spoil.   Treat yourself and read or listen to this one.