This Too Shall Pass By: Milena Busquest

Book Description.....

"A “literary tsunami” that is taking the world by storm—already sold in over 30 countries—about one unforgettable woman’s search for a meaningful life

Blanca is forty years old and motherless. Shaken by the unexpected death of the most important person in her life, she suddenly realizes that she has no idea what her future will look like.

To ease her dizzying grief and confusion, Blanca turns to her dearest friends, her closest family, and a change of scenery. Leaving Barcelona behind, she returns to Cadaqués on the coast, accompanied by her two sons, two ex-husbands, and two best friends, and makes a plan to meet her married lover for a few stolen moments as well. Surrounded by those she loves most, she spends the summer in an impossibly beautiful place, finding ways to reconnect and understand what it means to truly, happily live on her own terms, just as her mother would have wanted.

A fresh, honest, and ruefully funny story about love, sex, marriage, grief, friendship and parenthood, This Too Shall Pass is an irresistible novel that is fast becoming an international phenomenon."

Title:  This Too Shall Pass

Author:  Milena Busquets

Publisher:  Hogart

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"This Too Shall Pass" by Milena Busquest  

My View:

I found this novel "This Too Shall Pass" one good thought provoking emotional story that kept my attention turning the pages to the end.  Just how Blanca was able to cope with her life after the death of her mother was quite a painful due to the fact that they had been so close. Blanca's father had died when she was a teenager. Now she was a orphan.  How will she handle this loss? Blanca who was forty will have quite a hard time coming to terms with her mom's death. So deciding to visit her childhood home at seashore thinking it will help her grief and that 'volatile life Blanca had with her mom.'  I did found it quite strange but she took her two sons, two ex-husbands, two best friends and her now married lover [Santi] with her on her trip. Oh Santi was already there in this town with his wife and family!  But as I kept reading I think I did understand some of her reasoning... a little. Was this a journey for Blanca of  'self-rediscovery even though it was a dark subject[death]?  Will she be able to find the meaning of life after she came in contact with some old friends....oh yes, there was plenty of  drugs, sex and a lot of alcohol involved.  But will this help her get over her grief with her life seeming to be so turned upside down with this sudden changes in her life?  I liked how this author delivers to the reader as she presents this daughter speaking about her life and journey to her dead mom. I really found myself caught up in the journey of Blanca's 'despair, discovery and life.'

I was able to understand a little from the read as this mother [for I had my mom taken from me at 39] who had died had seemed to let her child...Blanca 'remain a little girl' even though she was forty years old. As I read through this novel I wondered had that happened to me?  Oh well moving on with this story now that her mom was gone was Blanca having trouble growing up?  I will say for all of you that have not experienced a good relationship with your mom you  may not understand this read and it could leave one somewhat depressed. 

As this story continues I find it is narrated by this main character [Blanca] giving off a lots of  'sarcasm and some dark humor.'  I find Blanca 'angry, lost and willing to try anything that would fill the void of the loss' in her life which seems like she finds a lots of comfort in 'bad things' that were not good for her.  

Even though I found the quick short story and somewhat depressing, however, I was able to understand a lots of what Blanca was going through and I found it one well told story, being 'sad but in the end well affirming and oh so hopeful.'  To get all of these questions answered you will have to pick up the novel and see how this author presents it to the readers.  

I think this author did a wonderful job with what she was trying to put out there for the reader to grab hold to about love and loss.  I was lead to think that maybe the only thing that had made Blanca happy was her mom and now she was gone everything else really didn't have any meaning at all. 'Who are we when we lose the one who defines us?'  Oh, well...those are my thoughts...I enjoyed the novel...."This Too Shall Pass."