NEW RELEASE
When It Happens to You - Molly Ringwald (2012)
Told as a series of short stories that interlink, this is an engrossing, exquisitely written fiction debut from the actress, best known for her roles in 80s Brat Pack movies such as The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. From a woman who finds out her husband is cheating; to a grandmother who is desperate to save her drug-addicted grandson; to a mother dealing with her young son's desire to dress like a girl; and a mourning wife befriending a young girl - the emotional stories adeptly display the author's observations about ordinary people's lives and offer poignant insights into each character's motivations. Working out the thread of how characters from one story relate to those of another is half the fun. I certainly hope Ringwald has many more books to come.
Actress Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in When It Happens to You - a collection of interlinked stories. The synopsis says: "(The book) follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbours while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life - revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all. In The Harvest Moon, a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility and an increasingly distant husband. In Ursa Minor, a former children's television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalised for "exhaustion". An elderly woman mourns the loss of her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter in The Little One. In My Olivia, a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son who wishes only to wear dresses and be addressed as "Olivia". And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement. As the lives of these characters converge and diverge in unexpected ways, Ringwald reveals a startling eye for the universality of loss, love, and the search for connection." When It Happens to You is Ringwald's fiction debut. Ringwald, one of the Brat Pack actors of the 80s, has also published style guide Getting the Pretty Back.