Review of We Drank Wine

[Michelle Menezes]

[Following is a volunteer review of "We Drank Wine" by Marion Reidel.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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When Beth's three-year-old keeps biting people, she is advised by her friend that the only way to get her kid to stop would be for Beth to bite her back. Does she go through with it? Brittany and her husband see their friends adopting pets, so they decide to do it as well. What do they adopt? Or a better question would be, whom do they adopt? We Drank Wine by Marion Reidel contains many such stories that revolve around four women and their families. Every chapter covers a different incident that occurs over a period of time. Some of them are hilarious, others sad, while some are thought-provoking. These women have known each other for over 30 years and navigated through life's ups and downs together.

I enjoyed the varying themes explored in the book, like homosexuality, parenting problems, eating disorders, etc. My favorite chapter is "Bedtime Story" where a father wants to read out a children's story to his nine-year-old daughter as part of a bonding exercise. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have thought much about the story he reads, but in the end, his daughter analyses and presents the conclusion in such a way that it made me stop and really think about it. It showed that what is represented as good or evil in some of the children's books may not always be accurate. I thoroughly enjoyed the twist in the end.

The book is well-written with simple language and relatable characters. Their interactions felt natural like I was observing these people go about their daily lives right in front of me. I also liked the fact that the focus was not limited to the main characters but also included incidents with the supporting ones. Some of the stories had unexpected outcomes that kept things interesting. The author has also attempted to give a message regarding body positivity, dealing with loneliness and abandonment, and standing by your loved ones. I've laughed, cried, experienced anger and heartbreak, and felt comforted throughout the book.

While I mostly enjoyed the book, there was one thing that bothered me. When I picked up the book, I expected it to have a real friendship, but the relationship between the women can be described as being interdependent while also trying to pull each other down. I disliked Celeste, who is considered the "Queen Bee" of the group. She calls the others her best friends but wants to make sure they're always below her. She refuses to accept them as they are, gossips about them behind their backs, wants to "fix" them because they don't conform to her standards of beauty, and constantly interferes in their lives. I was a bit disappointed due to this.

I think each chapter should have included dates since the incidents take place over a period of years. It got confusing sometimes when a certain character was in high school in one chapter and married in the next one. For this reason, I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. It had a few errors, but they did not affect the flow of the story. Since it contains some profanity, I recommend it to readers above 16 years of age who enjoy general fiction that is light-hearted and fun. Given the theme of the book, women may be more inclined to pick it up, but I think it is equally suitable for all.

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We Drank Wine
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[Clare Jose]

"When I picked up the book, I expected it to have a real friendship, but the relationship between the women can be described as being interdependent while also trying to pull each other down."

Knowing this about the book disappointed me as well. I'll keep an eye out for it just the same.
Thank you for a wonderful review.

[khaulah]

While I appreciate the positive points of the book, the character of celeste has made me reluctant to read the book. I like reading about genuine friendships between women. I'm so thankful for your thorough analysis of the book. Good job!