Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher
Written by Ashley Kelmore, Posted in Reviews
Four Stars
Best for: Someone looking for a quick, wit-filled read.
In a nutshell: Film actress Suzanne enters rehab, leaves rehab, attempts to figure out her next move.
Line that sticks with me: “I just want you to feel something, in between all this talking and thinking that you do. I want you to lead a life instead of following one around.”
Why I chose it: After Ms. Fisher died in December, I realized I’d never read any of her writing. I ordered all her books and decided to start at the beginning.
Review: This book isn’t exactly what I thought it would be, as my familiarity comes from the movie. I’ve not seen it, but I had the impression that the book would focus on the relationship between the main character and her mother. That’s not the case.
But the book it actually is was fun to read. It’s broken up into a few sections, starting with a back-and-forth of two characters, one of whom is consuming a whole lot of drugs. Ms. Fisher can write from different perspectives and make each feel equally real. I almost wish the rest of the book played out in the same way, but I understand why she made a different choice.
The main character is interesting and self-aware. Ms. Fisher somehow makes a woman with addiction issues who is also a famous and successful-enough actress that she doesn’t have to stress about working relatable. The description of drug use in the beginning was intense, and given Ms. Fisher’s life experience I’m guessing it’s accurate.
One thing that I enjoyed in this book is that as I’m writing this review, I can’t come up with more of a plot summary than the little nutshell I provided above. It feels unfinished, but it still left me satisfied. I didn’t think was possible in a book, but here we are.
