Yardley (Ya Ya) and her grandmother, Gidge, a retired teacher and costume designer, are as close as two best friends could ever be. Gidge is flamboyant, outgoing, and deals with problems straight on, so when she receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, she lets her family know with helium filled silver balloons and a champagne breakfast.
As she begins to get her affairs in order, Grandmother and granddaughter continue to be inseparable. Gidge works on her Karma, by sitting in the garden writing letters to people in her past who she has wronged while Yardley weeds. The two of them go through a life time of Gidge's clothing to take to a consignment shop to sell. The best place is owned by Conrad Kim (Connie) one of Gidge's former students. After a joyful reunion Gidge and Yardley spend a lot of time at the store. Connie's nephew, Harris, is always there working on his puzzle books. Gidge and Connie encourage a friendship between the two twelve year olds, but Harris wants nothing to do with her.
As Yardley and Gidge spend more time together readers become aware of Gidge's failing health. Eventually she decides to stop chemotherapy and makes arrangements for a medically assisted death at home. Ya Ya is not ready for this, but the date arrives and her family is there with her as Gidge breathes her last breath. I'm not going to lie, I pretty much bawled my eyes out along with Yardley, her father and mother.
Yardley continues to spend time at the shop, organizing clothes and helping set up displays. Harris remains aloof. Then one day she receives a letter from Gidge. Yardley gets it in her head that Gidge has been reincarnated. One day an older women comes into the shop claiming she is there to pick up a parcel she won. When she opens it up in the shop, it's Gidge's green velvet dress. Yardley becomes certain the woman is Gidge. As she sinks into magical thinking, Harris begins to take note of what's going on and tries to help her out. His actions are somewhat misguided at times, but it all turns out well by the end of the book.
I loved so much about this book. The characters are brilliant. Yardley's quirkiness and unique fashion flair reminded me of one of my students. I liked that while the parents, both actors in a small theatre company, are also a bit odd, they have their daughters best interests at heart.
I adored the glorious descriptions of vintage clothing!
It’s interesting to be reading this book at the ripe old age of almost 70. I can connect with Yardley, a young girl losing her grandmother, because I had two dearest grandmas I loved to spend time with. One of them lived with us at the end of her life. Now I have grandchildren of my own, so I am able to connect with Gidge, a grandmother having to say that final goodbye to her beloved granddaughter. I'm pretty sure that people will connect to both these fabulous characters even without this kind of background knowledge.
In spite of the fact that this book is about grief and the magical thinking that accompanies the death of someone important, it’s chock full of laughter too. Be prepared for joy, laugh out loud humour, and tears.
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