Publication Date: July 2nd, 2013
Categories: Literary, Contemporary Women
Description:
As a college student, Terry fell madly and destructively in love with Rhinehart, her famous poetry professor, tumbling into a relationship from which she never fully recovered. Now, fifteen years later, she’s single, still living in the same walk-up she moved into after college, and languishing as a photographer’s assistant, having long abandoned her own art. But when she stumbles upon Rhinehart’s obituary online, she finds herself taking stock of the ways her life has not lived up to her youthful expectations and grows disproportionately distraught at the thought that she’ll never see him again.
She is shocked when a few weeks later she bumps into Rhinehart himself: very much alive, married, and Christmas shopping at Bloomingdale’s. What ensues is an intense and beautiful friendship, an unexpected second act that pushes Terry to finally reckon with the consequences of their past and the depth of her own aspirations—and to begin to come back alive as an artist and a woman.
My Thoughts:
The Rest of Us is described as a novel about second chances. While that is certainly true, I found that it’s even more about relationships. The people in our lives have an impact on us that we can hardly begin to imagine.
Terry and Rhinehart almost need each other to create their art. Between their early affair and their second chance relationship they both seem to be stagnant. Artistically yes, but in even larger ways. When they being seeing each other for the second time they both begin to flourish.
At first I didn’t sense a great passion between these two characters. The further I read the more the closeness and love became apparent. There is a push and a pull between them that reads as very convincing. Their relationship is complicated. The best kinds usually are.
My favorite relationship in The Rest of Us is between Terry and her best friend Hallie. Their history is rich, complex, and believable.
Poetry and photography take central stage in this book. I’m not an aficionado of either of those art forms but this book made them accessible.
Beautifully written with raw sensibility, The Rest of Us has a rhythm all its own.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
The Relentless Reader 
It sounds like you and I have been reading similar books! I think you could read this one in tandem with Sight Reading to look at the relationships of artists.
LikeLike
Sight Reading is definitely a book I'm interested in. When I read a book about any kind of art I need it to be accessible to me as a non-artist. When I recently read A Complicated Marriage (about an art critic and his wife) it felt over my head. I don't know how to put my finger on the differences between these books but I GOT this one.
LikeLike
I'm glad you mentioned that, because I was wondering how similar it would be to A Complicated Marriage.
LikeLike
Not even close Monika 😉
LikeLike
Now I'm all curious about why there was an obituary when Rhinehart was very much alive. This one sounds good.
LikeLike
Can you imagine?? Her relief at bumping into him after that was palpable! 😀
LikeLike
Definitely sounds like a book I'd love. Thanks for the review!
LikeLike
I think you would Deb 🙂 You're welcome!
LikeLike
Sounds highly readable and enjoyable! Adding to my list to read right now. 🙂
LikeLike
I'm glad to hear that! I hope you find time for it 🙂
LikeLike
The relationships this book explores sound interesting.
LikeLike
They really are! I was very pleased with the authenticity of the relationships in this book.
LikeLike
This sounds like it might make a good book club choice.
LikeLike
Yes, I could see that. There would be plenty of topics to discuss!
LikeLike
This sounds like a book I'd really like. I've read several that examine a relationship with a student and some sort of artistic professor, but I like that they have this second chance opportunity for friendship in this novel. Good stuff.
LikeLike
Right! It's very different from other books with that same sort of theme. Good stuff indeed!
LikeLike
Interesting. I'm curious.
LikeLike
It's interesting indeed. Artsy and good 🙂
LikeLike
What a beautiful review! While it sounds lie an interesting read, I'm not sure if it'll be my cup of tea. Maybe one day when I've gone through all the other books on my shelves.
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂 I understand how that goes! So many, many books!
LikeLike
I enjoy poetry, but some I don't understand. It sounds like you really enjoyed this book!
LikeLike
I really did Melinda 🙂
LikeLike
This sounds very good, I like that poetry and photography play a part.
LikeLike
I liked that too Naida. And it wasn't super artsy in an over my head sort of way 🙂
LikeLike
I'm a lover of photography so I might like that aspect of this one.
LikeLike