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birdieex's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I didn't find myself getting absorbed into this book, but it was a pleasant surprise at the end. I believe I had a hard time relating to the characters, as I'm only in my mid 20's (at the time of reading/reviewing) and child-free.
Mabel's character, while initially reminding me of my grandmother in ways that were a bit challenging, showed a depth and complexity that I grew to appreciate. Her interactions with others, though sometimes a bit prickly, felt authentic, especially considering the recent loss of her husband. I saw one reviewer say she seemed autistic-coded, which adds an interesting perspective as I am autistic myself and can definitely see where they were coming from.
Example:When Mabel and her friends are going to find Dot's old house.
Mabel's character, while initially reminding me of my grandmother in ways that were a bit challenging, showed a depth and complexity that I grew to appreciate. Her interactions with others, though sometimes a bit prickly, felt authentic, especially considering the recent loss of her husband. I saw one reviewer say she seemed autistic-coded, which adds an interesting perspective as I am autistic myself and can definitely see where they were coming from.
Example:
This the one?' Patricia asks.
It strikes me as a silly question, so I don't bother to answer it.
'Mabel?' Julie asks, touching my elbow.
'What?'
'Is this Dot's old house?'
'Well of course it is. Why do you think I'm staring at it?'
She could have simply been admiring the scene, maybe she saw something that caught her eye. She stopped walking without explanation, so I found it reasonable her friends are going to question why.
And there were some quirks, like her insistence on calling Patty by her full name. Certain word choices, like the repeated use of "affronted," caught my attention, but didn't detract from the overall heartwarming message of the book.
Regardless, the book surprised me. I expected not to like it, but I pushed through and I'm glad I did. It was heartwarming, showing it's never too late to branch out from old ways and grow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, and Blood
Explanations for domestic violence:caroline_peacock's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Infertility, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Outing
sandysmith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It is a wonderful story of grief, secrets, overcoming adversity, love, and friendships. Mabels husband Arthur dies, leaving a note "find d." Arthur is lover of lists, and Mabel makes her own, previously insular but finding courage, to find her best friend Dot who disappeared prior to her marriage to Arthur and following the death of her brother Bill, 60 odd years earlier. Initially, via a carer, Arthur appointed for her prior to his death, she makes new friends. I fell in love with Mabel and her coming of age story, even at 86, and the friendships she finds along the way who she tries to help but somehow gets it wrong. The supporting characters are wonderfully developed as is their friendships. Beautifully written with Mabels past gradually being shown via memories. It's such a wonderful wholesome read. Fantastic, I really loved this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, and Infertility
srivalli's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
4 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming (a little slow)
Mabel Beaumont and Arthur have lived sixty years of their lives together. When Arthur doesn’t wake up one morning, Mabel feels overwhelmed by the changes. Being all alone at eighty-six is not easy. However, when she comes across one of Arthur’s lists with a single task – Find D, she decides to complete it for him and herself.
Dot was her friend, one of the four in the group, with Mabel, Arthur, and Bill (Mable’s dead brother). Dot left without a word more than six decades ago, and no one knows if she is even alive. As Mabel tries to find her, she realizes that she needs to do a lot more than search for a friend.
Along the way, Mabel makes friends with women of different ages, dealing with their own issues. Can she go through the past and accept the secrets she hid? After all, it could be her last chance to find happiness and peace.
The story comes from Mabel’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
The book almost lives up to the cover and the beautiful premise. It is a story of love, loss, friendships, relationships, bonding, learning, acceptance, and being brave enough to go after what you want.
The story begins with a sample of how Mabel and Arthur live and have lived for most of their married life. Right away, Mabel’s thoughts hint at things outsiders don’t see in a relationship.
The pattern continues throughout, which is an advantage and a disadvantage. Mabel doesn’t reveal the details she doesn’t want to acknowledge. This means we keep trying to connect the dots until she is ready to share (at the end).
I love how Mabel’s arc develops as she meets different women and comes to terms with the past and present. She starts off as a closed person who likes to play it safe and stay away from others. Yet, with Arthur’s absence, she begins to crave some company. Fortunately, she has Julie - the temporary caregiver, Erin - a teenage girl she meets at the supermarket, Patty - a lively dance instructor, and Kristy - Patty’s neighbor and dog lover.
Olly is Mabel’s dog, or rather, Arthur’s dog, which doesn’t like people. It’s great to see how Mabel and Olly’s bonding is presented. It’s different from what one would expect, making it even more real. Furthermore, Mabel's lack of desire for children adds another layer to her character. It's refreshing to see a woman from her era defy the norms of having kids.
The side characters are well-developed. Everyone has flaws and makes mistakes. It’s heartwarming to see women from different age groups and backgrounds come together and form a bond. They all have issues to deal with. Of course, things get worse when Mabel tries to ‘help’, but they learn and sort out.
While the actual reveal, as such, is a common trope, the execution is effective and elegant. I would have preferred another approach to lead to the reveal (the current one leaves me with a couple of questions).
The narration is slow and steady, which suits the premise. It cannot be rushed. However, it’s not so slow or boring. Things do happen, to the side characters, if not to Mabel, and she invariably becomes a part of it.
To summarize, The Last List of Mabel Beaumont is much more than finding a person or reconnecting with lost old friends. It is a story exploring different kinds of love and how the right friends enrich our lives.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheLastListofMabelBeaumont
***
P.S.: Note that the book can be a little heavy with different kinds of grief and longing. It has some lighter moments, but the overall heaviness lingers throughout.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Infertility, and Infidelity
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