MY GRANDMOTHER ASKED ME TO TELL YOU SHE'S SORRY by FREDRIK BACKMAN (2013; US translation 2015)

I didn't like this novel at all at first. Its central character is a 7-year-old girl who is unbelievably precocious and clever, too cutesy for words. The narration is third person, yet the entire book is written in the same tone as that used for the dialog of the girl.

But then I was sucked in and became invested in the characters and the plot, as unlikely as they are. Since the story is laced with fantastical tales told to the girl by her grandmother, the fantastical plot elements become more acceptable. As it turns out, fiction and fact are often closer than one would think.

The plot: On her deathbed, a wildly eccentric grandmother charges her granddaughter to find and deliver letters of apology to those the grandmother has wronged. As the quest proceeds, the girl learns to understand familiar people whom she only thought she knew.

This novel is heart-warming and often tear-worthy. It is, in fact, obviously and extremely manipulative. I equate it in my mind to watching the movie Beaches. I laughed, I cried, I was riveted. And afterwards I felt silly for letting my emotions overwhelm my brain.

I believe the main goal of fiction should be to help readers understand the world and the people in it. This type of feel-good book presents a less-than-realistic view of the world, yet it has its place. When life feels overwhelming, read this book to escape to a world where happily-ever-after can happen.