By Chelsea Britain© 2020, Bleau Press
File size: 2.2 MB
246 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1951796037
A contact on BlueSky recommended this book when we were chatting about climate fiction, so I started reading it without even reading the blurb. That was a mistake—but not for the reasons you might think. Cuttle is classified as Women’s Fiction, and it has touches of romance, which I normally never read. So if I’d seen the blurb first, I would never have read this book. And that would have been my loss.
Cuttle is the story of Nora, a post-grad student whose research with cuttlefish is coming to an end, as has her long-term relationship with Cam. She’s at a loss as to what to do next, where her talents and interests could be best used. Her faculty adviser, her parents, and her roommates all have their own ideas about Nora’s future, but what does Nora want? Good question. This book is her journey to find the answer.
I must admit that I had a little trouble engaging with the story in the very beginning, but that was all because I was expecting one thing and got another. Once I decided to keep reading Cuttle for what it was, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Nora’s growth and discovery of her own preferences and future path was hopeful, sensible, and encouraging, and I could relate to many of her dilemmas. The ending was perfect (no spoilers—though I will say it was good to see that some characters got exactly what they deserved).
While the story itself does not say so, throughout my reading I felt like Nora was on the Autism spectrum. I loved how the author portrayed Nora’s inner process and made it both authentic to an Autistic character, yet relatable to a neurotypical reader. For me, it made connecting with Nora even easier. Once I got past my confused expectations, I rooted for her all the way through.
While there is romance in this story, there is no on-the-page sex. It’s gentle, a journey of discovery, at times funny in a “we’ll laugh at this later” sort of way. More than anything, it’s a story of personal and professional growth that left me with a warm glow.
If you enjoy Women’s Fiction, this is definitely a book for your TBR list. Highly recommended.