Okay Days, Jenny Mustard
‘It’s at times chaotic, at times messy, and at times deeply romantic, but always an absolute joy to be part of’.
To say I devoured this book would be an understatement. I just picked it up one day, and couldn’t put it down until I had turned the last page.
Okay Days tells the story of Sam and Luc, from alternating perspectives, as they navigate life in their 20s both together and individually. But, to quote the famous lines from a film I love, ‘This is not a love story. This is a story about love.’ It’s at times chaotic, at times messy, and at times deeply romantic, but always an absolute joy to be part of.
I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is about this book that made me fall for it so hard. The beautiful writing? The extremely relatable characters? The city I love? Or perhaps just the combination of it all, and how it manages to create something extraordinary out of the ordinary lives of two strangers that so quickly became part of my life. It got under my skin in the best way possible, and tugged right on my heartstrings. Jenny Mustard has such a specific talent in the way her writing oozes emotion, both characters’ perspectives so characteristic, both uniquely heart-wrenching yet blissful to observe.
And how atmospheric it all is… London, the third main character in this story, comes alive so spectacularly in the writing that it’s impossible not to sense it all around you. Experiencing Sam and Luc go to the places I go to regularly, see things similarly or differently, and above all just feel at home here made me fall in love with this city all over again. As real as the relationship is between the two characters, so is the relationship between Sam and London, and, as someone who still feels lucky to be home here when not long ago I was an outsider, to have my feelings and experiences be mirrored in this was was such a treat.
Please pick up this instant new favourite this summer. Just a note, some of the more delicate topics tackled in the story are body dysmorphia, reproductive rights, and the loss of a parent.
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