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Do you think this book presents an accurate representation of life for some people in our society today? Cleaner Janice is a recent addition to the cast of marginalised women toiling on the margins of society that have been populating recent literary fiction output. Janice is so sympathetically drawn that readers will want to root for her from the beginning. Trapped in a stale marriage that has run its course and seemingly devoid of a story of her own, Janice instead collects the anecdotes of the colourful, idiosyncratic people she cleans for - until one of her clients becomes interested in her story after all, But what will happen when Janice starts reflecting on who she actually is? Life-affirming, hopeful fiction that can definitely fit into the ‘Uplit’ genre, this wonderful novel will definitely be on my list of ‘Best Books of 2022’. Highly recommended! As we follow Janice we are introduced to some of her favourite clients, such as the recently widowed Fiona and her son Adam, famous singer Geordie and the unpleasant Mrs Yeahyeahyeah who Janice only keeps as a client because of her dog, an adorable but apparently foul mouthed fox terrier named Decius. When Mrs Yeahyeahyeah asks Janice to clean for her mother in law, she reluctantly agrees to at least visit , and it is a decision that will change her life. Mrs B is a feisty woman in her nineties who is determined not to leave the home she shared with her beloved husband, the now deceased Augustus. The meeting is not promising at first, but it is soon apparent that Mrs B can see there is more to Janice than meets the eye. Could she be the one who finally convinces Janice, the keeper of stories, that she has a story of her one, and one that is worth sharing with the right people.
too, but Is she willing to share it with anyone.? Everyone she meets has a small victory or two in life alongside This is an absolutely enchanting book with the most wonderful characters. I wanted to be friends with all of them. Janice is a house cleaner for a variety of people and along the way to work on the bus and during her work she gathers stories that she overhears. She starts cleaning for Mrs B, a cantankerous and delightful woman who also likes to collect stories. Even better, Mrs B shares a story with Janice. As the book evolves we learn more about these characters lives and most importantly what makes Janice who she is. Janice is a cleaner who collects stories. However, she doesn’t know her own worth. She doesn’t think she has her own story until she meets Mrs B. She finally learns her value and her own story and can choose to create her own story as she wishes.
Customer reviews
After studying history at university, Sally moved to London to work in advertising. However, in her spare time she studied floristry at night school and eventually opened her own flower shop. She soon came to appreciate that flower shops offer a unique window into people’s stories and eventually she began to photograph and write about this floral life in a series of non-fiction books. Later, she continued her interest in writing when she founded her fountain pen company, Plooms.co.uk. Fictionophile’s OCTOBER 2023 #BookHaul #Bookbloggers #ForthcomingTitles #TBR #AnticipatedReads October 31, 2023
Her love of all things writing continues with Plooms (plooms.co.uk) her online fountain pen company, which Sally started when she couldn’t find a pen she wanted to buy. ‘I write with a fountain pen all the time; I love the sound it makes on the paper,’ she tells me. ‘In The Book of Beginnings, I’ve just written about what I know, and I know about selling fountain pens. I also wanted to say something about the joy of writing in ink. This does permeate the book.’ We are introduced to our lead, Janice. A cleaner who goes about her days working within the houses for her regulars. Janice loves her regular clients; apart from one couple, “Mrs YeahYeahYeah” & “Mr NoNoNotNow”. Most of her regulars know nothing about her and Janice continues to listen & collect their stories. Never asking for more, never sharing her own. Her husband knows very little about her and is so self-absorbed that Janice feels she isn’t seen. Blending in, Janice likes it this way. Until one day, she doesn’t.On a positive note, the book had some endearing simple messages, it was devoid of smut, death, and violence. If you don't read every day then you could rejoin this book with ease.
An early bird who often starts work at 7.30am, Sally writes all over her home: ‘In bed, at the kitchen table, on the sofa,’ as well as going out to write, too. ‘The cafes of Dorset have had quite a lot of my money, as I do tend to buy a lot of coffee and cake when I’m working in them,’ she smiles.Janice is a cleaner who collects stories. However, she doesn’t know her worth. She doesn’t think she has her own story until she meets Mrs B. She finally learns her value and her own story and can choose to create her own story as she wishes.
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