This Month's Book
Miriam the Medium
Miriam the Medium
A Novel. And a case of art imitating life.
Born with psychic gifts inherited from her grandmother, Rochelle Jewel Shapiro has had to learn the hard way about how such a “gift” can feel like a curse, as when no one wants to be your friend anymore because you always know too much.
And so it is with Miriam Kaminsky, the medium into whose life we peer in Shapiro's first novel, Miriam the Medium. Even her own daughter wants nothing to do with her once she's outgrown her fascination with her mother's strange and wonderful / terrible “gift.” And her husband? While Rory claims to appreciate her talent, he wants none of her insights into how he's being ripped off in his pharmaceutical business.
Life is tough for Miriam, and we feel it with her. For a first-time author, Shapiro does a remarkably good job of reflecting the complexities of the relationships between the generations and the sexes. In the beginning I found the book sweet and sort of fun to read, but by the time I reached its middle I found myself unexpectedly captivated by the spirit of intrigue and the achingly real emotions of a woman seeking to live an authentic, empowered life in the face of opposition from nearly every side. I laughed, I commiserated, I hung on late at night to see how the drama would unfold. And it was worth it.
—Chiwah
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