The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars, but I'll round up.

Sometimes there is a global pandemic and you just need to read something pleasant.

That's ridiculous. The best discovery about myself as a reader is that I don't need to use planetary emergencies as an excuse to read fun books, and The Overdue Life of Amy Byler aligns with that thinking because there's a pretty consistent plot thread dedicated to encouraging reading by presenting readers with material they look. The book isn't trying to be anything other than a pleasant escape, and it succeeds.

There is maybe some part of the book that's trying to say Big Things about motherhood, and/or childlessness, or the tendency to lose one's sense of self once becoming a parent. That part was less successful for me, mostly because I think there's far more nuance to it than the book had room to explore (and I would not have enjoyed reading it if that had been its primary objective).

There's an epistolary component I didn't love, with text messages and journal entries that advance the plot. While it makes for quick reading, the book is best when Amy Byler, the middle-aged protagonist rediscovering herself on the pages of a New York City fashion magazine, is controlling the narration. Amy's no Cannie Shapiro, but she's smart and capable and her view of the world is worth paying attention to.

Lots of stars for its ability to make me not worry about infectious disease for five or six hours!



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