*I received a free copy of Leave Me from Algonquin Books via BEA16. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Leave Me by Gayle FormanPublished by Algonquin Books on 13 September 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: BEA16
For every woman who has ever fantasized about driving past her exit on the highway instead of going home to make dinner, for every woman who has ever dreamed of boarding a train to a place where no one needs constant attention--meet Maribeth Klein. A harried working mother who's so busy taking care of her husband and twins, she doesn't even realize she's had a heart attack.
Afterward, surprised to discover that her recuperation seems to be an imposition on those who rely on her, Maribeth does the unthinkable: She packs a bag and leaves. But, as is so often the case, once we get to where we're going, we see our lives from a different perspective. Far from the demands of family and career and with the help of liberating new friendships, Maribeth is finally able to own up to secrets she has been keeping from those she loves and from herself.
With big-hearted characters who stumble and trip, grow and forgive, Leave Me is about facing our fears. Gayle Forman, a dazzling observer of human nature, has written an irresistible novel that confronts the ambivalence of modern motherhood head-on.
Leave Me left me feeling a bit raw, with my emotions and my heartbeat just underneath the surface of my skin.
In many ways, I was totally prepared to hate Maribeth, the main character in Leave Me. A 44-year-old mom of twins, a career woman, a wife, a friend, a daughter… One day, she was feeling out of sorts and it took until later the next day for her to figure out that she was having a heart attack. Which ended with her having open heart surgery and being out of it for a while, and recuperating in the hospital for a full week. Once back home, and really needing her husband to take care of her for a change, she once more finds herself to be the one who has to deal with everything! Taking care of the twins after school, making food, cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry… You name it – Maribeth was the one who ended up doing it, even with her mom having come to New York from Florida to help out.
It was impossible for me not to feel a kinship of sorts with Maribeth, as I’m 45, I have four kids, am finishing my Master’s degree, and am working… And it sometimes does feel like the world (at least our family’s world) rests almost completely on my shoulders. My husband is a great guy, but there are a lot of the small things he would never think to do! And so, while I don’t see myself ever actually walking out on my kids and my husband – that’s what Maribeth thought she had to do to survive the aftermath of her heart surgery – I could definitely understand her reasons for doing so! Leave Me really shows that while a lot of things have been done for gender equality, we still have a very long way to go in order for women to truly be able to ‘do it all’!
Leave Me is as much about Maribeth and her need to recuperate, to get some rest, and also find herself once more as it is about how hard it can be to be a woman who wants to have and do it all. All the choices we make have consequences, and one of the things Maribeth had always held at bay was the fact that she was adopted. She knew this, but never had the inclination to find her birth mother. After her heart attack, however, she realized that it might be important for her to know about genetic illnesses in her family. Having all of this to deal with, and with a husband who seemed to spend more and more time away from home, it was no problem for me not to be mad at Maribeth. Especially because I never saw her leaving as permanent.
As the story unfolded, Maribeth learned a lot about herself, and as a reader, I was able to reassess some things right next to her. Figuring out what she truly wanted to do with the rest of her life, and how she wanted to go about it was an important part of her healing process, just as meeting new people and having to take care of only herself for a while. Written in third person point of view, past tense, and from Maribeth’s perspective, Leave Me exceeded my expectations, and kept me invested in the story and the characters’ outcome from start to finish!
“You sure you didn’t get inseminated with the wrong egg,” more than one person had quipped. The joke was stinging. Because Maribeth didn’t know where Liv got that princess hair from, or those apple eyes, let alone their intense gaze. Looking at the little genetic puzzle that was her daughter had opened up if not quite sadness in Maribeth, then a sonar ping of sorrow.
“I believe you have a healthy heart,” she said. “The doctors have done their part. But if you want to get better, really better, well, you’re going to have to do that for yourself.”
Her lists, her plans – they were her parachute, the thing to keep her from total free fall. She was in free fall now. And it wasn’t killing her. In fact, she was beginning to wonder if she might’ve had it backwards. All that fixating on the fall… maybe she should’ve been paying more attention to the free.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Twitter: ailynk
I can relate, although I pretty much expected when I married my husband, who was brought up spoiled by his parents who does everything. Now and again I would just stop doing things like cleaning up or cooking, just so he realizes that he is not the only one who ‘does things around the house’.
But I admire Maribeth’s courage, she does want to be alive long enough after all….
LOL my husband was used to his mom doing everything at home, so when we moved in together, I just told him that there were some things I didn’t mind doing around the house, and others that I did mind. And promptly went on to teach him how to iron his own shirts 😉
Maribeth’s courage was great, Ailyn, and I couldn’t help but admire her – she did what she had to do.
Twitter: ailynk
things we do for love..heheh
LOL true!
It sounds realy well done there. I didn’t know about this one bu I need to try this author!!!
I loved Forman’s YA/NA titles, and this one is even better in my opinion, Melliane!
Ahh this sounds like a tough book. I can tell it was an emotional and really poignant story for you, Lexxie. I love books like this that can make me think and reflect. Even though she leaves, I think I’d root a lot for Maribeth to get better and reach an understanding of what she wants.
Lovely review, Lexxie! I’ll have to get myself a copy when it releases!
It was very well done, Nick. And I’m glad you think you’d root for Maribeth anyway… I didn’t think I would, but I’m very happy I was wrong 🙂
I have this one to read and am excited for it. Glad you enjoyed it so much and was able to connect on some level to the MC. Great review!
I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did, Grace!
I was going to pick this up at ALA but for some reason I didn’t. Kicking myself now lol
Karen @For What It’s Worth
Oh no! That’s too bad, Karen! It was great 🙂
That’s good you were able to relate to Maribeth a bit and didn’t hate her! Good to know. I have this one to read soon and I am quite curious.
-Lauren
I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did, Lauren!
I love books that make me reevaluate things about myself, it brings an added connection to the story and the characters.
Me, too, Leona! When I can see things differently than I did before thanks to a book, it means it was very well done 🙂
I just downloaded this one from NetGalley and can’t wait to read it. I can tell that I will relate to Maribeth’s POV, as I’ve also had to do what felt like everyone else’s jobs as a mother/worker/wife, etc.
Eager to read it! Thanks for sharing.
Oh, I hope you’ll enjoy it, Laurel-Rain! I think women still do end up doing more than their fair share of the work at home, and that’s not a good thing!
Just another reason I refuse to get married, or even live with anyone. 😀 This sounds like a story many women could relate to.
Maybe you have it right, Christy! I still quite enjoy my husband, but I go on strike every now and then… If he tells me I’m oh so lucky because he does so much around the house… Then I just stop doing one of the things I do, so he can realize that yeah, he does give a helpful hand, but it’s nowhere near equal!
Twitter: kimbacaffeinate
This sounds interesting, and I feel bad fo Maribeth. I have never tried this author. Great review Lexxie!
You should check her out, Kim! I think you’d enjoy this one 🙂 And ‘If I Stay’ is very well done, too!
Twitter: kbaby81
Great review! I’m glad I added this one to my list.
Thanks, Lekeisha! I hope you’ll enjoy it as well!
This sounds like a good read. I love Gayle Forman’s books. She has a way of writing that always makes me feel like a mess after I read the book. LOL!!
Loved your review 😉
Yes! That’s exactly it! She manages to draw me in and make me feel like I’m a part of the story, and I’m definitely a mess after reading her books!
A great review! This sounds emotional, I think a lot of us feel very much like Maribeth some days.
Sharon – Obsession with Books
I think a lot of us feel like Maribeth some days, too. Which may be why I was all prepared to not like her, because I just can’t see myself packing up and leaving my family behind 😉
Twitter: Kissinbluekaren
I wasn’t sure what this book was about. It sounds pretty relatable to me though. I hope I find time to read it as well. Your review convinced me I need to read it. Great review!
It’s very relatable indeed, Karen. I had read all of Forman’s YA/NA titles, and I enjoyed them, so when I was able to snag this one at BEA, I was elated. I hope you’ll enjoy it as well 🙂