I have fallen in love with one of my new favorite author’s books. Her name is Katherine Reay. Her books are easy reads but there is so much depth to them. I think the reason I love them so much is that they are books about women discovering who they are and stepping out into unfamiliar territory. I think part of the reason I love them is that I relate to them. I am on a journey to discover who I am.
The book I just finished by Katherine Reay
The books I’ve read from Katherine have mainly been written through the eyes of the main character. They are mainly written in dialogue form with the main character’s thoughts leading the story and setting the scenes. You only learn of the other people involved from her perspective and the dialogue between her and the other characters. It’s fascinating to me how she does this. Writing dialogue is hard to do well. To keep the conversation going without saying ‘he said’ and ‘she said’ much if at all is difficult. While writing you have to constantly add in thoughts and settings around the characters.
But then isn’t that the way we live our lives? We have a running dialogue with our environment, interaction with others meshed together with what we see, smell, hear, taste and feel. Because of this style of writing, I always feel like I somewhat become the character and I’m experiencing everything with her. Fortunately, her characters are likable. I’m not sure it would work if she was writing with people of less than tasteful character being the leading role.
As her character goes through experiences, she is constantly discovering more about herself and the world around her. I realize that I am doing the same thing as I discover who I am. I am learning to look at the world as a whole, with all my senses firing even in everyday life. It’s a way to fully live each day with anticipation and searching. My life is taking on new forms of interacting with the world and those I encounter because I’m breaking out of the mold I’ve been locked in where I had to constantly question myself in every interaction to not call attention to myself or do something “wrong”. This is how you live when abuse is part of your life, but discovering who you are is completely the opposite of living this way. You have to take the focus off of yourself to appreciate and interact fully with the world and people around you.
It’s a beautiful place to live. I never knew life had so many colors and intricacies in it. I never fully knew those around me as I do now because my focus no longer has to be in protective mode (for the most part) with the focus on what I should and shouldn’t say or do. I can more fully feel the emotions others emote when they are sharing about their lives and laughter and joy are more than I ever imagined they could be. As I said in my earlier post, there are more colors in my life the more I discover who I am. Discovering Katherine Reay’s books has helped in my understanding what that journey looks like. Living life constantly looking inward is suffocating. Life full of discovery is life-giving and filled with hope. I look forward to more discovery.
~ Joanna Lynn
