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There are currently 73 member reviews
for The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
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Judith M. (Granville, OH)
Intergenerational Friendship
I loved The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley!
According to Louise, 90 percent of a crime caper is the setup and the best ones contain misdirection and cleverness. Criminals only succeed if they are intelligent and have patience. This book is the perfect crime caper with intelligent and patient characters.
Tanner, age 21, needs a place to live and Louise's children don't think she is fit at 84 to live alone. In exchange for a room, Tanner drives Louise to her appointments and is just there. Each have their preconceived opinions of the other. Then, Louise receives a life-changing letter form George and Tanner sees a woman on a TV wanted poster that looks just like Louise. Is this the beginning of an adventure, or just the beginning of the setup? Among those added along the way are a good- looking man, an FBI agent, a priest, a mob criminal, and a bar tender each adding another layer to the cleverness of the caper.
On the surface this book is funny, tender, exciting, and clever. But there is a lot to unpack with each character and in each leg of the journey. I didn't want it to end.
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Susan W. (Berkley, MI)
I loved this book!
What do you get when you throw an old, steely woman together with a young college dropout? This book tries to answer that question, and I loved their journey.
Early on I thought Oakley's book was just contemporary fiction, but it wasn't long before I uncovered the mysteries woven into the plot. It was skillfully written. I loved the quirky personalities of the characters as well as the way the character development unfolded.
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Lorraine D. (Lacey, WA)
Coming of Age at Any Age - Mystery, Flight,Risk,Adventure and More
This book is more than just a "coming" of age story; it is also a "becoming" of who I am, or was, story (if there is such a thing), or a rebirth. When Tanner, an unsettled college drop-out, has repeated issues with her parents, she is told to leave and find her way. They help her along by connecting her with a senior who needs a caretaker. Tanner reluctantly agrees to take on the job. When Louise, a senior with issues, interviews her and somewhat reluctantly agrees to hire her. Tanner shows up for work, the sparks fly, aggravation mounts, and discovery happens. All of this leads to mystery, an adventurous get-away, pursuit by the FBI, guns, flight, and yes, even some romance along the way.
What I found most intriguing is that the main protagonist is an elderly, mobility challenged woman. It is not often that you see a senior in that role. She is the mystery, and it makes for a great read. I was reluctant to put the book down. This is the first Colleen Oakley novel that I read and I see that I may have missed some excellent opportunities that I will now seek.
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Arlene I. (Johnston, RI)
A Great Perspective on Life:
This book was an easy read but not overly simplistic. Tanner and Louise are quirky, endearing and lovable characters. You have a twenty-one year old self-doubting woman trying to find her footing in life (Tanner) and a wise-cracking eighty-three year old, who is self-assured and breaks all kinds of rules in the name of doing the right thing (Louise).
Colleen Oakley brings you on an unconventional road trip filled with laugh-out loud antics between two characters sixty-something years apart and a cast of friends along the way. The author explores the friendship that woman have with other woman; assumptions of people based on observations only; relationships between aging parent and their children and how we all have a degree of self doubt, no matter life experiences or our age.
Tanner is the driver and Louise is the passenger in an odd-ball journey from Florida to California in which you meet well-meant characters along the way. I would absolutely recommend this book book to all ages. Tanner and Louise's journey would make a fantastic book club read.
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Jan S. (Conway, AR)
Never underestimate an old lady who has a lumpy mattress…
Mrs. Louise Wilt and Tanner are the two most unlikely of companions, and I was delighted and frustrated with each quirky step and word and whine, just enough to put me into their mindsets. The characters are well developed — including all the ways these two women are so different, and I couldn't wait to read more. It's a captivating journey for the reader and these two characters. It's also about looking outside your view to see through the eyes of someone much different than you. It's raucous (and a time or two rowdy), as well as tender and hopeful. I highly recommend this author and a big WOW for the book.
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Gwen C
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise
This delightful, intelligent, charming, laugh out loud caper grabbed me from the first few pages. This deft take on “Thelma and Louise” begins with 21 year old injured and angry Tanner squaring off against 84 year old injured and feisty Louise. Amazingly enough I identified with both of the characters - having lived with my grandmother briefly after college and now a senior citizen recovering from a broken leg and kneecap. We were admonished not to quote directly from the book until final editing was done, but that hasn’t stopped me from reading passages aloud to others. I am definitely buying this book for friends. I hope it’s published before Christmas!
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Karen R. (Columbus, OH)
Highly recommend, especially if you are in a reading slump
I have been in a reading funk. I have started so many books, and put them aside. I started The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, put it aside, but couldn't stop thinking about the characters, kept going back, reading a little more, set aside, then ponder the characters, and then finally read the last 50 at one sitting. I highly recommend this book. Fun, shades of gray characters, interesting plot twists, great to read, especially if you are in a reading slump.
Thank you to Bookbrowse for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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