'Charlotte' tells plain old great story

All Things Literary

Trust me when I say I have read many books in my 21 years. Some have been boring, some have made me laugh or cry, some I’ve been unable to put down until I’ve reached the end. But through my endless stacks of books, I’ve learned that it’s rare to find a novel that, without any further explanation, just tells a really great story—no abstract metaphors, nail-biting suspense or emotional turmoil needed.

I read Libby Schmais’ "The Essential Charlotte" this past week, and as completely trite as this sounds, I had that warm, fuzzy feeling when I was done, like nothing was wrong with the world. Honestly, if only reading a book had the power to make that happen.

Charlotte is a quiet medical researcher in New York City who believes there is an herbal remedy for any ailment a person may face. She has grown up living quite contently in the shadows of her eccentric and outgoing mother, a sculptor who has, in the past few years, made a name for herself in the art world.

When her mother unexpectedly dies while creating her latest work of art, Charlotte is left to take care of her mother’s loose ends. The last thing she expects to learn from her mother’s will is the unsettling news that her father, long believed to be dead, is in fact alive and well. Not only that — Charlotte’s mother has provisioned that she and her father must live in her loft for an entire year in order for Charlotte to inherit the rest of the estate.

Apprehension overtakes Charlotte as she struggles to understand why her mother would put her in such a position with a complete stranger. She is, however, strangely curious about the man who has long been missing from her life, so she agrees to move in with him. What Charlotte learns in the next year is what made this story so wonderful.

Throughout the course of the year, Charlotte realizes that her family has and always will define the person that she is. She learns about her father, yet never forgets her mother who endearingly still talks to Charlotte, even after her death death.

More importantly, she learns to embrace her past and her life with a newfound passion and vitality that she never would have known had her mother not meddled the way she did.

I’m reluctant to call this a simple story, since that can carry such a negative connotation, but I don’t think there’s really any other way to describe it. The story thrives on the strength of its characters, most notably Charlotte, and relies on little else to convey its message.

I’m an avid reader—I’m always eager to read a great mystery or a beautiful love story. But it’s so refreshing to read a book from time to time that strips away all the clutter and shows me a raw, honest portrayal of human vulnerability like that of Charlotte’s. It is truly the closest thing you will ever find to real life.