As Ella is early released after being sentenced for attempted murder, she is trying to reconnect with her life, after spending her late teenage years in prison. While trying to figure out the details of a night whose details were completely obliterated from her over-exhausted mind, she is also longing for her old love, Jude - whose father she supposedly attempted to murder - and is trying to trace her daughter, born at the beginning of her sentence prison, who was given for adoption. Meanwhile, her mother, who was forced to leave her Orthodox Jewish community due to her pregnancy, is also able to finally make place for love in her life, until then, only focused on her daughter.
Days of Wonder by Caroline Leavitt is inspired from a real story, that the author tried to anonymise. I had access to the book in audiobook format but this is one of the few times when I did not fully enjoyed the audio experience, as some of the voices, particularly Ella´s mother, were deeply annoying.
The story goes in different directions: an impossible love story, personal trauma, a bit of mystery and crime, a lot of psychology. But although all those directions are skillfully balanced by the author, the characters themselves are extremely disturbing. Ella has a habit of stalking and her love for Jude is obsessive. Her mother is lonely, lacking social skills and confused, Jude´s father is abusive and Jude himself is a confused young man. This outpour of hybris is highly disturbing at times.
But there are also moments of tension and twists - especially regarding the possibility of the crime - which are highly enjoyable, and so are the message of forgiveness that may give place to wonder.
Days of Wonder was recently longlisted for the 2025 Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize in the company of authors whose works I was lucky enough to get to know this year as well.
Rating: 3 stars
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