Hi Lily Hi Lily Hi Lo

This is what’s written on Goodreads about The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler

When a young, enigmatic woman arrives in post-war Montreal, it is immediately clear that she is not who she claims to be. Her attempt to live out her life as Lily Azerov shatters as she disappears, leaving a new husband and baby daughter, and a host of unanswered questions. Who is she really and what happened to the young woman whose identity she has stolen? Why has she left and where did she go? It is left to the daughter she abandoned to find the answers to these questions as she searches for the mother she may never find or really know.

It all sounds quite wonderful, I know.  And although nothing very exciting or earth shattering ever happens in it, there were still lots of very interesting bits and I still read the whole thing without falling asleep.  Well, okay, I might have done that but no more than twice.  There’s a lot of sadness in this book, with a kind of joy-less story that drones on and on,  slowly building up our curiosity as to why Lily did what she did.

And then finally the revelation at the end is really no revelation at all and thus rather anti-climactic, with no real punch.  Because even Lily doesn’t seem to have much of a clue.

I hope that last bit was sufficiently vague to avoid being a spoiler.

But here’s the thing – ever since reading about Lily, I have had this stupid Lily song in my head and I can’t seem to get it out.  I think I have been singing the damned thing in my sleep.  So I though it would be a great idea to share it with everyone, and thus spread the misery joy.

You are so very welcome.  I live to please. Sing along if you dare.