By Tyra Forde
While the plot of Her Turn, the second fiction novel by Canadian author Katherine Ashenburg, spans only a few weeks, it effortlessly illuminates the ordinary and extraordinary (for better or for worse!) moments that make up everyday life. The novel begins in October 2015, where forty-something divorcee Liz, editor of a column called “My Turn,” combs for essays from across the country that capture unique stories with relatable themes. When one submission hits too close to home, not for its content but because of its author, Liz’s quiet life quickly spirals out of control. Her ex-husband’s new wife—the woman he had an affair with—writes in about her marriage, and Liz can’t help but write back as the anonymous editor.
Ashenburg artfully injects drama into the mundanities of Liz’s life. On the outside, her routine is careful and measured, including regular Italian language classes and yoga every Tuesday. On the inside, her schedule also includes a secret rendezvous with her married boss at a nearby hotel each week. The cast of family and friends that fill out her social circle is full of dynamic and inclusive characters, including her mother with dementia, her gay brother’s blended family, her college-age son, and her friends, each at different life stages—not to mention the other men that Liz keeps company. Her dating escapades are documented as if coming directly from a friend’s mouth and in a witty style reminiscent of Bridget Jones’s Diary.
The novel is broken into chapters identified by the week they take place as fall bleeds into the winter. Set in Washington against the backdrop of Hilary Clinton running for president, Ashenburg explores how politics, with both a capital and lowercase ‘p’, infiltrate and impact daily life, even for apolitical Liz. A perfect choice to read during the holidays, these politics are especially evident in scenes that take place during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Most importantly, Her Turn is a story of forgiveness and the power it takes to give and receive it, even in the most difficult of circumstances. While Liz may not always make the right choice in romance, work, or life, her feelings and fears are shared with such honest narration that Ashenburg makes her a character to root for until the very end.
At just under 230 pages, the novel is witty and heartfelt. I devoured it in one sitting. Ashenburg’s writing style romanticizes the everyday, and even when everything is going wrong in the plot, the novel never misses a beat. Her Turn comes highly recommended and has inspired me to read Ashenburg’s first fiction novel, Sofie & Cecilia.
*Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!