I loved this short glimpse into the author's experiences with her mother's passing. I do a more complete review on C-Spot Reviews but suffice it to say that I was caught up in it from the first few sentences and never even contemplated stopping until the final word.

I definitely recommend it and I immediately bought a copy for a friend once I was done reading it. ( )

Avery and her sister are in Zimbabwe when they get the news of their mother’s death in 2011. Avery heads home to deal with the business of clearing out the house, finding it hard to grasp that this difficult, dedicated, troubled woman is now gone for good. Her mother’s collection of jewellery, especially her engagement ring with its gorgeous sapphire, becomes a prism through which Avery processes her feelings about her mother. Once she and her sister have chosen the pieces they want to keep, Avery takes the rest of the jewellery to be valued and sold; and that very practical story – of dispersal and celebration – frames her memories of their complex, fractious relationship and her mother’s problematic drinking. A meditation on loss, remembrance and forgiveness...

For a post on the Family Tooth, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2020/02/24/the-family-tooth-ellis-avery/ ( )