Arthur is not your typical curmudgeon. In fact, he is quite the opposite, despite having lost his wife and having no one in his life. He has the uncanny ability of making those around him feel significant. "Truluv" eventually joins forces with Maddy, a distraught teenager, and Lucille, a kravitzing neighbor, to form an unlikely trio that becomes quite a team. The Story of Arthur Truluv is a syrupy sweet novel that guides readers to focus on the positive aspects of less than ideal circumstances.
I must admit that I struggled immensely with Maddy's situation, as initially the reader is led to believe there is no possible way she could have arrived at her particular predicament. I spent much of the novel thinking she had made a mistake in assessing her situation. I can say no more, as I'd rather avoid spoilers, but for those of you who do read this novel, perhaps you can understand my confusion.
The novel is a bit simplistic, and not exactly believable. In addition, I was quite surprised at how many aspects were so similar to A Man Called Ove, aside from the complete 180° in the old protagonist's attitude. However, Ove is a novel that stands alone, and any novel similar in content just can't hold a candle to it.
Having said all of that, this was not an unpleasant read, and I appreciated Arthur's positivity. Elizabeth Berg has created a novel with a certain purity that is not often found in novels today. And after all, as Arthur said, there should be an audience for everyone...
"Where would writers be without readers? Who are they going to write for? And actors, what are they without an audience? Actors, painters, dancers, comedians, even just ordinary people doing ordinary things, what are they without an audience of some sort? See, that's what I do. I am the audience. I am the witness. I am the great appreciator, that's what I do and that's all I want to do."
Read 3/8/19
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