Strong females. Silly men. Love. Kooky characters. New York setting. Another Chick Lit masterpiece? Probably. Mystery.
Spirituality. Life. Death. Then again, maybe not.
33 year-old
protagonist Anna Walsh is in Dublin at her family’s home, recovering from a horrible but unspecified event, which has left her in
physical and emotional pain, though the latter is subdued by the many pain killers she must take. All we know of this event is that it took place in New York, where Anna lives and works, and that it involves her husband Aidan, who is missing.
Her physical scars heal, and Anna returns back to New York and to her job as a PR rep for a cosmetics company. Still, something rings hollow for Anna, and for the readers. Why doesn’t Aidan return her e-mails or phone messages? Soon enough the mystery is solved, and the real story begins - in earnest.
Anybody Out There? is a rich novel that uses humour to explore the joys of life, the bitterness of death and the search for spirituality via a strong protagonist, a whole crew of kooky characters and even kookier scenes. Instead of taking away from the novel, Keyes’s use of humour delivers an unexpected and honest portrayal of a woman’s search for answers when there are none, and the redemption she gains from the pursuit.
Chick Lit, probably. But also a little something extra.