#62// wedding people, herring carts
maybe i do?
Dear Reader,
What are you up to?
Read: Here is a book that I had been keeping for a late summer recommendation. I absolutely loved The Wedding People by Alison Espach. It follows an unlikely friendship between a bride-to-be and a woman named Phoebe who is planning to kill herself at the hotel at Newport, Rhode Island, where the wedding party is staying. The bride is at the peak in her life—very rich, a dream wedding and suitor, at that stage when her dreams are gonna take off. Phoebe, on the other hand is at rock bottom. Nothing is working out for her—marriage, career, money, an understanding of her situation—and there’s nothing to hope for. I loved the mature Phoebe and the spoilt, full-of-herself bride who was worried her wedding would be ruined if a woman dies.
Simon le Clerc I loved how Espach explored the different relationships we come across in the course of life, some short, some deep, some forgettable. She makes her characters confront what they are running away from, but instead of discomfort, she eases us into closure, the acceptance of reality, and even forces out a giggle from you when you wonder whether it was as big as what you are making it in your head. Be warned you might find yourself thinking about your life in contrast to the characters’. I felt Espach captured that muddle-ness that accompany women in their thirties very well. The thing about The Wedding People is that it is both a flick-like book (a summer read?) but also packs deep thoughts within it that to call it a flick would be a crime; it is funny, even dark, but also makes you trip over to a pensive mood. It even made me well up in parts where I couldn’t explain why I did. It has got the excitement of a wedding in the day, and then at night long shadows of thoughts talk to you. It is the perfect beach read, book club read (I really wished I could’ve chosen this for my book club if it was still active). You will leave The Wedding People feeling different about a lot of things. It helps that there’s a wedding, old money glamour, crumbling marriages, and mother-daughter relationships to spice up this story.
“She is so good at predicting what will happen in books, so bad at predicting what will happen in life. That is why she has always preferred books - because to be alive is so much harder.”—The Wedding People
This is very much a summer book, but who is to stop us from reading what we want in spring? If you live in a hot city, be sure to pair it up with some cold lemonade, maybe put on an old money ambiance video on Youtube and transport yourself to Newport. Highly recommend!
Watch: Now that Severance has ended (brilliantly), I feel disinterested in television. I have been watching old black and white Malayalam movies (probably not suited for my newsletter audience). I’ve been dipping into two shows, both of which do not make me want to binge or watch an episode every day. Early thoughts on The Residence on Netflix (cozy mystery, quirky characters, scenes feel a bit slow and dragged out. Two episodes in and enjoying it). Late thoughts on White Lotus Season 3—In spite of being the most average of the White Lotus seasons, the finale episode was really good! (But explain how it is set in Thailand and there are no rich Asians staying at the hotel. Really?).
Eat: Infinitely refreshed with seconds and thirds of watermelon feta salad topped with hastily torn mint leaves every weekend. So good!
New novels featuring very messy women (Goodreads)
B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! This made me cry.
That’s all for today. Fruits and coffee are my lifelines this April. What about you?
“April. Month of dust and lies.”― Naguib Mahfouz, Adrift on the Nile
Until next time,
Resh x
I completely forgot that i'd read the wedding people! some of the writing was just so incredibly good. but there was something about it i didn't like, and now I can't remember arghh. i haven't watched severance, but maybe i should. I'm worried it's too tense for me.
Sounds interesting!