The Wish List

I loved this author's other novels `A Question of Love' and `Old Ties' and this novel was highly recommended to me. The story stretches from the early 60's to early 90's. It takes us via flashbacks to 21 year old Maggie losing her best friend Celia when Celia leaves town with another woman. Flash forward 27 plus years and Maggie is a recent widow of Celia's former boyfriend. The story opens in the kitchen of her home where she is listless in her life of a well to do doctor's wife and mother of 25 year old Amanda. She reflects on a marriage that lacked romance or tenderness and was created on a mutual need over the loss of Celia. This was an interesting character study filled with one of a kind people. Amanda appears self absorbed and you get the impression Maggie loves her daughter because she should but that they never bonded and that there is no love lost. Or perhaps the daughter is simply bitter because she senses her mother never engaged as a parent and years of benign disinterest have hurt. The story takes off from there and becomes Maggie's story and her journey to a new life perhaps involving Celia. The writing is terrific and the whole novel is laden with humor and passion. I look forward to reading the author's other 8 novels, the most recent is `Back Talk' published in 2006.

As in all the Bennett books I've read and enjoyed, there is more than just one relationship to follow. As a pleasant surprise,however, in this one 95% of the emphasis is on Maggie and Celia. Bennett does a nice job developing her characters and story in The Wish List, but the 179-page book seems to end too abruptly. Once these two characters finally decide to take the plunge, the story ends.

Saxon Bennett fully develops each of her main characters and draws you into their world. You find yourself wishing that you were a part of the story. I had a hard time putting the book down, yet when it ended, I was inexorably sad that the story was over. The only complaint I have is in the title itself. The idea of having a wish list is only mentioned one time, and I really had to search for the connection of the story to the title.In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and highly recommend it.