The January 2017 selection for the Contemporary Book Club. A hardback that I bought on Amazon and recieved on Tu 11/22/16 and finished on Su 1/22/17. Meeting- We 1/25/17; The notes were typed on Thursday morning, the day after we met.
Overall, the group loved the book although a couple of the members were a bit down on Kai, Karen Vaus, Paula's mother. They felt that her 'hippie, free spirited nature' was merely a cover for a deep rooted selfishness. I disagreed, and felt that not only was she a pretty decent mother, but she 'gave the gift of motherhood' to Paula. When Hana is introduced into her life, she and her new sister are 'bonded for life'. The woman in Santa Fe, with us by Skype, also agreed that she wasn't a bad mother.
Kali, Paula Vaus, is a product of the state. She spent a couple of years in Child and Family Services when she turned her hippie mother into the police because her boyfriend was a drug dealer. This decision tormented her, but she was only twelve and she yearned for some stability.
Kai, Karen Vaus, is Paula's mother and drifts from man to man. When a relationship goes sour, she takes whatever valuables are available and Paula and her head for greener pastures.
Kai has invented an elaborate mythology based on Hindu scripture that she uses to tell Paula of their lives.
Paula is a hard-driving attorney. Her boyfriend is a PI called Zach Birdwine. He is an alcoholic. He drinks because he knows that he has a teenaged son by his ex-wife and he realizes that it is better that the boy remains unaware of their relationship.
Paula learns that while Kai was incarcerated, she had a son. This young adult, Julian Bouchard, learns of Paula and contacts her.
While tracing down Kai's whereabouts, they learn that she also had another child, Hana.
Julian and Paula unite to find and raise their new sibling.
I loved the book and it was a compelling read. I loved it so much that I put on reserve the author's first novel, GODS IN ALABAMA. I picked it up the evening of the meeting.
The author's page on facebook-
https://www.facebook.com/JoshilynJackson/
The book at amazon-
https://www.amazon.com/Opposite-Everyone-Novel-Joshilyn-Jackson/dp/006210568X
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