Book Review: Labor Day: A Novel by Joyce Maynard

Labor Day: A Novel
Author: Joyce Maynard
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: December 3rd 2013
Review Source: William Morrow & Company

With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry--lonely, friendless, not too good at sports--spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about the soft skin and budding bodies of his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele--a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly's with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his "Husband for a Day" coupon, he still can't make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart.

But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life's most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others--especially those we love--above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for.

In a manner evoking Ian McEwan's "Atonement" and Nick Hornby's "About a Boy," acclaimed author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex, adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy--and the man he later becomes--looking back at an unexpected encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.

Labor Day was a very enjoyable read for me. This book was recently adapted into a movie and so taking the lead of the on screen previews I found myself picturing the lead characters as they were cast in the film.

We are introduced to our characters Adele, Henry and Frank. First we have Henry, a teenage boy who is going through puberty, who lives alone with his mother while feeling like an outsider with his own father and his new and improved family. Adele was a bit of an odd bird to me at first, she is an introvert, never getting out much at all and sadly her only real friend is Henry. And finally we have Frank, the mysterious stranger who has come into their lives, unexpectedly after picking him up at a local store and taking him home with them, nothing strange about that right? I admit I had a hard time going along with the fact that a single mom and her son would just take a bleeding stranger home with them, no questions asked and welcome him into their home.

Adele and Henry and Frank proceed to spend the next 5 days adapting to each other and each one of their stories unfold. Henry is so in love with his mother but cannot help but feel relief that his mother has found someone else to occupy her time and attention. This leaves him open to a highly anticipated friendship with a new girl in town, Rachel. I just couldn’t help but just root for Henry throughout the entire story. Adele, who comes across as overwhelmingly passive at first, lost in her own world, but suddenly blossoms in Frank’s company, and it becomes clear that she is just a lonely woman who craves love. My feelings for Frank teetered between angst and fascination. There certainly were several reasons why this story could have gone another way but his demeanor was very compelling.

What I did learn quickly in this story is that this whole book was one big odd, highly complicated and completely wonderful love story. It is a well written book, it made me laugh out loud and it made me shake my head. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.