I was drawn to this book by the general concept: successful, anonymous author of a children’s fantasy book series is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, and as a result she cannot complete the final book in the series. In desperation, the author, Libby Weeks, seeks out her most ardent and knowledgeable fan online, hopeful that the girl can help her plot a way to end this book and series. Rapid twists and turns result from both Libby’s accelerating illness, and the million dollar bounty offered for exposing to the world the author’s identity, pressuring the author to complete the series.

Libby and her trusty golden retriever Rolf travel from New Jersey to Blue Skies, Colorado, to meet Pandora “Peanut” Bixton, and her family, each suffering their own life challenges. Peanut has one foot in the real world and one foot in the world of the series, known as the Falling Children, a trio of orphans encountering relentless dangers from their mortal enemy, the Unstopping. Peanut, also an orphan, feels the book is code for who her parents really are, and sees parallels between the series and her life everywhere and in everyone in Blue Skies. The book’s action is driven by both Peanut’s deluded pursuits and Libby’s increasing state of confusion and lack of recall. The novel has the feeling of a Young Adult book, largely due to eleven-year-old Peanut’s point of view, and Libby’s own reclusive naivete.

The publisher would like you to believe that this book is of the caliber of Lessons in Chemistry and Remarkably Bright Creatures, due to its quirky, absurd action. I’m afraid that it falls short of that level of success. Those two novels are fantastic, and I urge you to read my reviews and read those books.(https://www.margueritereads.com/home/lessons-in-chemistry-by-bonnie-garmus?rq=lessons%20in%20chemistry and https://www.margueritereads.com/home/recent-reads-brief-mentions?rq=remarkably%20bright ) The characters in Libby are generally well drawn, but the plot gets away from the author, not as skillfully constructed; the overall feeling is too ridiculous and silly. The premise of a successful author suffering Alzheimer’s is poignant, especially given her back story. It was too high a task for this author to tie together Libby’s diminishing condition with her feelings of missing out on love and a satisfying life, and resolution of her book problem. Booth had so many spinning plates, set up interesting situations that could have reached deeper, more satisfying solutions. Instead, we had to be contented with basic resolutions, not more soul-satisfying ones.

Generally a fun read, but for me, a bit of a slug and in the end, rather disappointing. If I assigned stars, I would give two.