BOOKISH FRIDAY: “MR. FLOOD’S LAST RESORT”

Welcome to another Bookish Friday, in which I  share excerpts from books…and connect with other bloggers, who do the same.

Let’s begin the celebration by sharing Book Beginnings, hosted by Rose City Reader; and let’s showcase The Friday 56 with Freda’s Voice.

To join in, just grab a book and share the opening lines…along with any thoughts you wish to give us; then turn to page 56 and excerpt anything on the page.

Then give us the title of the book, so others can add it to their lists!

What a great way to spend a Friday!

Today’s feature is a new download:  Mr. Flood’s Last Resort, by Jess Kidd, the spellbinding tale of a lonely caregiver and a cranky hoarder with a house full of secrets.

 

 

Beginning:  He has a curious way of moving through his rubbish.  He leans into it, skimming down the corridors like a fearless biker on a hairpin bend.  He gallops and vaults through the valleys and hills, canters and bobs through the outcrops and gorges of his improbable hoardings.  Now and then he stops to climb over an obstacle, folding his long legs like picnic chairs.

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Friday 56:  Renata sighs.  “None of this is normal.  Who finds photographs in milk bottles and stuck to windows?  And why are these faces burnt away?”  She purses her lips.  “And what kind of person stays in a caravan?”

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Synopsis:  Maud Drennan is a dedicated caregiver whose sunny disposition masks a deep sadness. A tragic childhood event left her haunted, in the company of a cast of prattling saints who pop in and out of her life like tourists. Other than visiting her agoraphobic neighbor, Maud keeps to herself, finding solace in her work and in her humble existence–until she meets Mr. Flood.

Cathal Flood is a menace by all accounts. The lone occupant of a Gothic mansion crawling with feral cats, he has been waging war against his son’s attempts to put him into an old-age home and sent his last caretaker running for the madhouse. But Maud is this impossible man’s last chance: if she can help him get the house in order, he just might be able to stay. So the unlikely pair begins to cooperate, bonding over their shared love of Irish folktales and mutual dislike of Mr. Flood’s overbearing son.

Still, shadows are growing in the cluttered corners of the mansion, hinting at buried family secrets, and reminding Maud that she doesn’t really know this man at all. When the forgotten case of a missing schoolgirl comes to light, she starts poking around, and a full-steam search for answers begins. Packed with eccentric charms, twisted comedy, and a whole lot of heart, Mr. Flood’s Last Resort is a mesmerizing tale that examines the space between sin and sainthood, reminding us that often the most meaningful forgiveness that we can offer is to ourselves.

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What do you think?  Does the quirky story grab you?  Would you keep reading?

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