The Story Of Us

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Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez was one of my most surprising and memorable reads of 2022, so it'll come as no surprise that The Story of Us was one of my most anticipated reads for 2023. Be prepared for incredibly fraught relationships, desperate moments full of fear and powerlessness, and heartwarming moments that remind us that even though we are only human, we can have the capacity for the greatest understanding and love. So I started writing the book. I’d call it the name it should have always been called: What’s Our Problem? I knew what I wanted to say. I just had to write it. After her latest position ends, MG becomes a Personal Support Worker for Liz, an elderly trans woman who has Alzheimer’s disease. Initially, caring for Liz challenges MG’s very conservative beliefs. But the friendship these two women form is a thing of beauty.

Dani Atkins is an author I have heard a lot about, I have ‘Fractured’ her debut novel on my bookshelf but have not yet got round to reading; however I had heard it is fantastic and its one that I must read and as soon as possible. So when I heard Atkins had a second book out ‘The Story of Us’ I couldn’t wait to read it. As this was the first book I have read by Atkins I didn’t really know what to expect, however I was excited to finally be able to discover this author. I also noticed that I wasn’t feeling the normal confidence I felt when I started a new post. Something about this topic felt scary. I never felt scared to write about anything before. This fear of writing about this topic seemed like it was an important part of the topic. But when she arrives in Toronto, she must navigate a series of bewildering and careless employers and unruly children. Mary Grace seeks new employment as a Personal Support Worker and begins caring for Liz, an elderly patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease, whose health is as fragile as her rundown bungalow beside the Rouge River in Scarborough. While Mary Grace's time with her charge challenges her conservative beliefs, she soon becomes Liz's biggest ally, and the friendship that grows between them will turn out to be just as legendary as Liz's past.If I were in publishing, I'd have a little quiz to run by the authors of books being pitched to me. It would go like this:

I did mention limited time. I should be more clear. I'm talking days, not years, okay? And then there's the interruptions of diaper changes, bothersome visitors, bath time and my own hunger — not to mention all that burping business — so we should get started. The former me, the real me, is fading by the second and there are things I remember, at this very moment and never will again, that I need to share with you. Eine wunderschöne Geschichte vor einem tragischen Hintergrund, mit viel Gefühl erzählt und spannend zu lesen. As she did with Scarborough, Hernandez treats her diverse and complex characters with love and empathy; each is beautifully rich and beautifully imperfect but still lovable. MG’s initial attitude toward Liz was hard to read. But the bond they eventually formed was so heartwarming and uplifting. I loved how the author kept us guessing and guessing over who, if any, Emma was going to choose. I changed my mind on and off throughout the story and the suspense was killing me !

MG works as a nanny for a couple who eventually take advantage of her. Later she finds employment caring for a woman named Liz who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Despite the many challenges faced by MG in this new role (and learning of her pregnancy), she and Liz become wonderful companions. The Story of Us forces us to witness the structures of Canada's immigration system by Huda Hassan, The Globe and Mail, April 7, 2023.

There is something in the way Ms. Dani Atkins tells her stories that just captivates me that I couldn’t stop reading. I remember feeling the same with the first book of her I’ve read, Then and Always. It’s easy to read, emotional, quite predictable at times, at several places quite funny, and yes, very addictive. Liz identifies as queer and has been instrumental in building acceptance in her community. I loved this part of the book and the fact that a person with Alzheimer’s was still afforded this level of respect. I also appreciated the author writing in #OwnVoices for Liz’s character. Douglas Petersen may be mild-mannered, but behind his reserve lies a sense of humor that, against all odds, seduces beautiful Connie into a second date . . . and eventually into marriage. Now, almost three decades after their relationship first blossomed in London, they live more or less happily in the suburbs with their moody seventeen year-old son, Albie. Then Connie tells him she thinks she wants a divorce. Der Verlauf ist zwar etwas vorhersehbar aber mit ganz vielen kleinen, unerwarteten Wendungen weiß man eigentlich doch nicht so Recht wohin das Ganze läuft. Und das emotionale Ende überrascht.All of these stories are told by the unlikeliest of narrators, which I think added a special level to the story. Especially in certain moments when the recounting of the past is interrupted by the present-day necessities. They were right. With so many non-controversial topics to write about, why take on something so loaded and risk alienating a ton of readers? I listened to people’s warnings, and I thought about moving on to something else, but then I was like, “Wait what? I live inside a giant and the giant is having a six-year-old meltdown in the grocery store candy section and that’s a not-okay thing for me to talk about?” But overall the arguments were put forward thoughtfully and with supporting notes. Where I did disagree it made me think more deeply about the topic and why I disagreed. It’s hard to cut writing. Perfectionism, sunk costs, etc. Procrastination abound. I would try to cut a section down, polish it off, and move on, but kept finding myself rewriting the section entirely. I was moving at a snail’s pace.