What a unique story about a southern family's drama. 

 

If We're Being Honest is a multigenerational story that takes place in Eulalia, Georgia. It begins at the funeral of Williams's grandfather. It takes place over one week and ends after the wedding of one of his neighbours children. It involves the tension and love that occurs in families and among long time friends. Shook presented a shocking and awkward situation and successfully allowed the reader's view to evolve throughout the story, and see it from other perspectives. 

 

The SQAF Book Club had a chance to video chat with Cat Shook. It was a wonderful conversation and it was great to hear her perspective on aspects of her debut novel. Though not from Georgia herself she is very familiar with the area and attitudes, having grandparents who lived there and having gone to University there. 

 

Shook talked about how funerals are  'fertile ground' for humour and a place for inept or awkward situations to arise. With this in mind she decided to being her debut novel at the funeral of a grandfather. She even used this in the first line of the book; 'Gerry Williams's funeral was a shit show.' Now who wouldn't want to find out what happened at this funeral. 

 

The story weaves it's way through various members of the Williams family and their internal struggles and relationship with each other. Many themes are studied such as sexuality, divorce, love, pregnancy, death, just to name a few. 

 

One criticism is that the book should have a list of all the characters at the very beginning. There are a lot of them and it is difficult to keep track. If you are picking this book up I would start by making a list of them as I read. 

 

People talk about books that should be adapted to movies and series all the time. This is something I never think about, but this one should be a miniseries. I think that is the best format for it. @reesewitherspoon are you reading this? Diane Keaton should play Ellen, the grandmother. Jack Nicholson would play a great Fred, the long time friend of Ellen and Gerry. Grant who appeared on The Bachelorette could be played by Ashton Kutcher. I could just go on and on about who should play which character, but it's more fun to read and envision these people for yourself. 

 

After reading this I want to plant a magnolia tree. Though I am pretty sure it wouldn't survive a winter up here. 

 

Shook has another novel already in the works titled Humor Me, it will be coming out in 2024. It is also set in the town of Eulalia, Georgia but is not a continuation of this story. I look forward to reading it and seeing if any of the characters from If We're Being Honest show up in her second book. 

 

Thank you @celadonbooks and @netgalley for my advanced reader copy of by this debut author. Thank you @catshook33 for taking the time to speak with us.