MS. MEBEL GOES BACK TO THE CHOPPING BLOCK BY JESSE Q. SUTANTO

GENRE: 287 pages

LENGTH: Adult Contemporary

PLOT

Ms. Mebel is 63 years old when her husband announces he’s leaving her for their private chef. In a bid to win him back, Ms. Mebel enrolls in culinary school.

CHARACTERS

When she’s first introduced, Ms. Mebel is pompous and materialistic. She takes pride in being a trophy wife. Her personality was so off putting that I almost DNF’d the novel. However, I persevered because Sutanto has written characters I’ve adored in previous books. I am very glad that I kept reading, because Ms. Mebel grew on me immensely. I came to understand that her pretensions personality was a necessity in order to show her growth as a character. Over the course of the novel, Ms. Mebel gains confidence and independence. She makes friends and finds something she’s passionate about. The further into the book I read, the more I came to have empathy and respect for her character.

Ms. Mebel develops a sort of found family dynamic with her classmates. These include Gemma, Bella, Adam, and Bruce. Gemma is the most prominent of these characters as she becomes a surrogate daughter to Ms. Mebel. The others were likable with the exception of Bruce who was a cynical jerk. I could have done without Bruce, or at least not have the other characters excuse his behavior.

WRITING

This novel is about a journey of self-discovery. The message I took away from it is that you are never too old to start over and find yourself.

This book isn’t a mystery like Sutanto’s Vera Wong books, but personality wise the two protagonists have quite a few similarities. They’re both older women with motherly dispositions who are unintentionally funny. Another book series you may like if you enjoy this book is the Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols (and its recently released sequel). The character Mrs. B is reminiscent of Ms. Mebel and Vera Wong. I can definitely imagine all three women befriending each other if they were in the same book.

This book is full of humor and heart. I found myself smiling and giggling while reading. There are some darker moments/topics in the story, but overall, it’s relatively lighthearted and heartwarming read.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you’re like me and you find Ms. Mebel insufferable at the start of this novel, please give it a chance. I promise you won’t regret it. If you’re at a crossroads in your life, then I think you’ll find this book relatable and inspirational.

FINAL RATING: 5⭐️