Practical Jean by Trevor Cole

Read for: Canadian Book Challenge, 2010 Green Books Campaign

This review is part of the Green Books Campaign.  Today 200 bloggers take a stand to support books printed in an eco-friendly manner by simultaneously publishing reviews of 200 books printed on recycled or FSC-certified paper. By turning a spotlight on books printed using eco- friendly paper, we hope to raise the awareness of book buyers and encourage everyone to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books.

The campaign is organized for the second time by Eco-Libris, a green company working to make reading more sustainable. We invite you to join the discussion on “green” books and support books printed in an eco-friendly manner! A full list of participating blogs and links to their reviews is available on Eco-Libris website.

Practical Jean is printed on paper that is 100% recycled.

Jean is your average, middle-aged woman living in a small town.  She’s obsessed with leaves and devotes her time to sculpting them into pieces that are almost guaranteed to crumble.  After three months of caring for her dying mother, she tells her husband she wishes she had just ended it near the beginning and spared her mother all that pain.  A few days after the funeral she plans an evening with her closest friends and it is as she sits there with them that she gets her idea – a way to help protect them from ever growing old and suffering.

Jean was such a fun character.  You know right from the beginning as you are introduced to her love of leaves and her devotion to sculpting them (even in the face of multiple failures) that she’s just a little off.  But as you continue reading you begin to realize just how off she really is.  And even though she’s truly crazy, she’s still lovable.  After all, everything she does is because she loves her friends.

Even though the book was slightly morbid, it was funny and I could understand the motive behind Jean’s actions (not that I would agree with her actions – just to reassure all my friends out there!)  And the story and the characters were so believable.  Jean’s logic was just so logical!  I could totally imagine someone deciding that this is the best course of action to follow!  And just to be clear, in case any of my friends are considering this – I’m happy to live a long life and grow old, thanks.