This one was a little weird to me. I’m happy I read it but I don’t think I would read it again. If it sounds like something you would like go for it!

The story centers around Margot and her wife Estelle who have been together for 25 years. Margot is forced to confront her past when Estelle reveals that she has been seeing a relationship counselor. I really enjoyed how intimately we got to know Margot and see how her past has defined who is is today no matter how much she’s tried to forget it. The writing was beautiful and the imagery was just so spot on. I truly enjoyed this piece

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this story, but I ended up thoroughly loving every moment of it! If you are unfamiliar with it, it is an adult LGBTQ+ contemporary novel about a 45-year-old woman named Margot.

What a unexpectedly genuine book! It is so honest, so real. While the main character does keep some secrets from her wife and others around her, she is utterly transparent to the reader. From us, she hides nothing and I think it really adds an interesting aspect to the story.

This book is so funny, as well. Margot is a hilarious character. I actually really love her. Don’t get me wrong, she has her downfalls like everyone else, but she is still amazing. She is so beautifully flawed, and human, and relatable.

Despite the ever present humor, this is definitely a very serious book. It tackles topics such as obsession, trauma, marriage problems, and toxic/absent parents.

As for the author, I had never read any of Ford’s works before this one and I had never even heard of her. However, after finishing this unexpected masterpiece of a novel, I will definitely be reading any and all future books that she writes! She does such an excellent job developing characters and settings. She is so beautifully descriptive without giving too much detail.

For some reason, this story reminds me a bit of Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman (which I loved). I’m not sure what it is, but it gives me a similar vibe and I quite enjoy it!

Anyway, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes serious contemporary novels with a side of humor.

I think I am in the minority here but I did not care for this book. I felt like it was highly pretentious in a way that only a book like this can be. It gave me "Call Me by Your Name" vibes but with slightly less predatory gays. Overall all I just felt like I was dragging though this.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy.

On a literary level, Ford's novel Carousel is a masterpiece. Within its pages, Ford uses a nolstagic carousel to center us into Margot's world. At its heart, this is a story about carrying emotional weight within us, and hoping to become someone better than we fear we are. Listening to the audiobook felt like visiting a dream. With rich descriptions and vivid imagery, Margot's simple life is filled with plenty of beautiful, albeit messy and sad, moments.

When the novel takes place, Margot has already lived through what seems to be an entirely separate journey. Margot escapes an abusive family situation and finds passion in fire arms dealing. She's married to Estelle Cote, who she frequently refers to as "her wife". We watch Margot in many ways seems to be the climax of her own life. As her favorite local carousel begins to close down, Margot reflects on the way her own life appears to be falling apart. What is explored in this novel is deeply personal. We watch Margot and Estelle discuss their lives through counseling. We watch Margot try to find new meaning in what her life has been.

Ultimately, I found it hard to stay focused at times during this story, as its slow pace and melodic writing meant that the plot often took the backseat in my mind. The characters were interesting, but lacked the spark to make them personally memorable for me. I suspect this is not the fault of the novel, but instead at my own perspective. I am still young, and have not quite felt the weight of living that Margot has. I find it incredibly exciting that there are queer stories being written about older women, that are as filled with literary merit and heart as Ford has curated on paper.