Coastliners

The coast. This plays a double feature in my entry today. Number one: if you'll notice a small, if somewhat typical for me, break in the "consistancy" of the writing, it is because I have had none too few major life changes in the past months. I was married in June to a jewel of a man, Matthew, and... have become, myself, a coastliner. Yes, my friends, I now live in the beautiful state of Florida--the closest thing to paradise this side of heaven.
And while things have been rather busy of late being a newlywed (side note: if you've never been married, you really should, immediately, if not sooner. It's tres fun.), I have found myself now with an extraordinary amount of time at the library. Why is this? You see, my dearest is in the U.S. Navy, so the noble men have to ship out and protect all the coastliners. (Thank you, brave men.)
This brings me to my next referrence to Coastliners. This time, a book by the talented Joanne Harris. You might remember Chocolat, by Joanne Harris which was turned into a charming movie, starring everyone's favorite--Johnny Depp. But anything I've ever read from Ms. Harris is equally as delicious (pun intended). I especially love "Five Quarters of the Orange" and her short story, "There's No Such Place as Bedford Falls."
But Coastliners is my newest read, about a girl who moves back to her hometown, after 10 years in Paris. Her "hometown" is really an island, complete with some of the most interesting characters you'll ever meet. Full of suspicion, holding on to superstitions, stubborn, hard, and destitute, you'll love them just the same as our main character, Mado.
This book is perfect as the last sticky days of summer slip away, but rather than a bright yellow umbrella and bottles of sunscreen, you might grab a thick wool coat to brace you for this salty and chilling coast.