Review of Backcomb & Tattoo

[Janki Patel]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Backcomb & Tattoo" by Shea R Embry.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Backcomb & Tattoo by Shea R. Embry is a work of fiction celebrating the wonders of womanhood and friendships. Rachael finds herself gravitating towards an old woman, Aunt Mary Opal, who seems to be the only one at a party not singing along to her superstar husband's songs. Gradually, these two women take into their fold two other women, Jesi and Nicole, forming a tight-knit group.

This story is a testament to the value of having close woman-to-woman bonds. All four women, irrespective of their age differences, become one another's confidants. Being privy to such personal matters, they shelve them away as secrets even from one another, which causes a lot of confusion and, with it, presents a humorous side of the book. All women bear certain personal burdens that are realistically depicted by the author. Apart from these themes, the author also dealt with the issue of chronic illness.

The character of Aunt Mary Opal is well-rounded with the perfect mix of seriousness and fun. The author occasionally depicts the impact that her past traumas have had on her and her behaviour. Her character also relays the fact that one never really knows a person inside out. Her secrets throughout the book make the plot engaging. She stands out more than other characters in the book and was definitely my favourite.

All the apparently stupid things that these women do throughout the book act as a much-required release from not having lived their lives as they truly wished. It was only in the company of other women that they were able to be true to themselves and love freely. This aspect of the book was the showstopper for me. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book, having nothing more to add to the writing style, plot, or the characters.

For the above-mentioned reasons, I rate this book five out of five. I specifically recommend this book to all women above the age of thirty to read this wonderful book.

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Backcomb & Tattoo
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