Review of, When Violet Got Bored, by Allison Keli
Yesterday I was driving the youngest to school when my truck was hit from behind as we were pulling away from a stoplight. It wasn’t much of an impact, as the light had just turned green and we’d just begun to roll. In fact, at first I’d thought my foot had just lurched off the clutch and we’d stalled out.
All was well in the end, after I’d pulled over and was met by an apologetic, middle aged woman, who’s foot had apparently slipped; no damage to either vehicle, or occupants. It was more the sudden jolt from the normal routine than anything else.
This brings me ’round to a central theme in this book. Mind you, poor Violet gets more than an innocuous run-in on the street as a “reward” for getting the yawns from a humdrum life.
What happens when a mid-thirties female in suburban Atlanta realizes she’s bored? An acquaintance gets murdered, ominous men enter her life, and she starts to hunt for ‘Scouts’… because if she doesn’t, they might kill her, or worse: use her as The Weapon. Add in a snorting pug named Phang, a judgmental cat named Barnaby, two ridiculously magnetic brothers she finds herself sandwiched between, energy that just won’t quit, and well, you’ll find out what happens When Violet Got Bored. This magical realism novel includes it all–murder, mystery, intrigue, love triangles, the good guy, the bad guy, the worse guy, pop culture references, magical wands, history, philosophy, and a plane ride to a tiny island off of Denmark! Join Violet as she tries to maintain stability and sensibility during this tumultuous year of her life!
