September Book Club, we chose Joshilyn Jackson’s The Opposite of Everyone.

From the publisher’s synopsis:
Born in Alabama, Paula Vauss spent the first decade of her life on the road with her free-spirited young mother, Kai, an itinerant storyteller who blended Hindu mythology with southern oral tradition to re-invent their history as they roved. But everything, including Paula’s birth name Kali Jai, changed when she told a story of her own—one that landed Kai in prison and Paula in foster care. Separated, each holding secrets of her own, the intense bond they once shared was fractured.

These days, Paula has reincarnated herself as a tough-as-nails divorce attorney with a successful practice in Atlanta. While she hasn’t seen Kai in fifteen years, she’s still making payments on that Karmic debt—until the day her last check is returned in the mail, along with a mysterious note: “I am going on a journey, Kali. I am going back to my beginning; death is not the end. You will be the end. We will meet again, and there will be new stories. You know how Karma works.”

Then Kai’s most treasured secret literally lands on Paula’s doorstep, throwing her life into chaos and transforming her from only child to older sister. Desperate to find her mother before it’s too late, Paula sets off on a journey of discovery that will take her back to the past and into the deepest recesses of her heart. With the help of her ex-lover Birdwine, an intrepid and emotionally volatile private eye who still carries a torch for her, this brilliant woman, an expert at wrecking families, now has to figure out how to put one back together—her own.

It’s been a few years since I’ve read Joshilyn Jackson, and reading The Opposite of Everyone makes me wonder why it’s been so long. One of my favorite things was that the city of Atlanta is practically a character. Living here, it’s fun to picture the locations.

Overall, I liked the story. Paula’s journey feels realistic. She isn’t “tough as nails” on one page and suddenly Sappy Susie on the next.  There’s unexpected layers to the story, especially with Birdwine, which  I really appreciated.   And the ending was surprisingly satisfying.

Book club liked this selection. We all felt a little surprised by the story arc and the characters’ evolution.  Those of us who listened to the audiobook had a distinct impression of the characters that was not shared by those who read the book. Based on the discussion, this is one I recommend reading over listening.

The Opposite of Everyone delivers on complicated characters and complex family relationships.  It made me remember why I like Joshilyn Jackson, and I’ll be reading more from her sooner rather than later.