Women and Children First | Alina Grabowski

It's a good bet that a book that begins with a quote like "The only reason that they say 'women and children first' is to test the strength of the lifeboats" is going to be sad. And there is sadness in Women and Children First. The central action of the story is the death of a young high school woman at a house party in a small, down-on-its heels coastal Massachusetts town. The story is told through the voices of 10 women who have a connection to the young woman--a school counselor, some of her friends, women in the community, and her mother. The book has a lot to say about women and girls in this world and the adults around them, and the nature of relationships between all of these people. It draws a multifacted picture about what grief looks like. Despite the sadness, I enjoyed the story, and also appreciated the ending that, while not being a real conclusion, created a bit of peace for the characters dealing with their grief. The book was on the Best Seller rack at the library. I didn't remember reading the review so the book and the author were new to me. Grabowski is a skilled writer. She paints a vivid picture of this Nashquitten, Massachusetts, and the residents who have deep connections to each other. It's the kind of town that people dream of leaving, but often stay in or return to for a variety of reasons.