Don't Say a Word: A Daughter's Two Cents

 

Edna and Leo, a perpetually warring, tyrannical pair in their 80s, begin wintering In Mexico, where they abandon their usual prudence to embrace adventure and a bevy of sketchy new friends. Soon, Edna adopts a pair of shyster builders whom she trusts over her own architect-daughter Elizabeth, and a farcical house results. Blithely indifferent to the calamities that result, the pair refuse all help from their too-compliant only child. Later, following her mother’s sudden death, Elizabeth’s wise, principled father attempts to fill his late wife’s shoes with a string of loopy, live-in housekeepers―with privileges, he hopes. Before it is over the Mexican escapade will bring down the kind of disasters commonly found in pulp fiction. Why can’t Elizabeth stop any of this from happening? No matter the madness, she cannot confront her parents any more than she ever could. In the end, the surprising way in which they come undone reveals just what they spent their lives trying to hide, thereby setting her free. Though unique in its loony details, Don’t Say A Word! will resonate with beleaguered adult-children everywhere who will recognize the special misery of watching, helpless, as stubborn, diminished parents careen precariously toward the end of life.

My Review

I enjoyed reading this book. The stars of the book are the author's parents. Edna and Leo. While, every decision that they made had the same outcome of turning into a disaster; they still made them without a care in the world. Well they did not listen to their daughter when she gave advice. 

Every time that the outcome turned out bad, Edna and Leo would argue and in wonderment about the predicament that they found themselves in. At first I was like, how can they not see the signs flashing bright red in their faces and with their daughter cautioning them but after a bit I actually found it entertaining and kind of endearing. 

I was not sure what I was expecting from this book but I can tell you the words "entertaining" and "endearing" did not come to my mind. This is one of the more real books I have read. I will not be like the title of the book "Don't Say a Word" and will share with other readers about this book.