The maybes are worth it - Heft by Liz Moore

Sometime during the summer, I saw someone on staff at my local library recommend Heft via Facebook.  I don't know who wrote the post, I'd never heard of it before, but something in that tiny blurb caught my eye and I added it to my TBR list.  Last week, while helping my daughter find Reading Olympics books at the library, I picked it up...and really liked it!

 

Arthur Opp is an obese recluse, so saddened by losses in his past that food and solitude become his refuge.  Charlene is his former student and pen-pal, with a life spiraling into darkness.  Kel is Charlene's son, a rising baseball star commuting from a disadvantaged neighborhood to a top-notch high school, dealing with his mother's decline while finding his place in the world.  Moore brings their stories together with care and distinct presences, never making them caricatures of their issues.

I'm a sucker for a good character study, and even if I didn't particularly love Arthur Opp, Charlene, or Kel Keller, I felt that I understood their motivations.  I was moved by their struggle to connect with others and embrace the "maybes" in life.

Another example of social media word of mouth in action!  I'd never have picked up this book without seeing the library staff review.  This good read is a great reminder to always check out the library and bookstore staff recommendation shelves!

4 out of 5.