FICTION

Three Things About Elsie

by Joanna Cannon
Scribner. Aug. 2018. 384p. ISBN 9781501187384. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501187407. F
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Longlisted for the British Women's Prize for Fiction, Cannon's second novel (after Trouble with Goats and Sheep) is mostly a contemplation by octogenarian Florence as she waits for someone to notice she has fallen in her room at the Cherry Tree Home for the Elderly. She ruminates about her lifelong friend Elsie and the secret they shared, but Elsie is never really explained; the reader concludes Flo can't remember the secret. These mysterious elements add substance, as several secondary characters intersperse their points of view, including a handyman and a caseworker who tries to enliven the assisted-living environment with mixed success. The main enjoyment of the narrative lies in the little gems of wisdom gained from decades of living.
VERDICT Older characters are beginning to get their own literature, and Cannon's title is a positive addition that should resonate with elderly citizens and their caretakers everywhere.
Reviewed by Mary K. Bird-Guilliams, Chicago , Aug 01, 2018
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