A Novel of Scribbled Notes

Life on the Refrigerator Door novel

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

This novel takes place entirely through the written word. More specifically, through notes that have been scribbled down as a mother is rushing to and from her job. She doesn’t seem to be able to balance home and work very well. As such, her daughter has to pick up a lot of the slack.

Kuipers is able to tell a story  by simply sharing these small moments between mother and daughter. The two characters aren’t always crossing paths in the night. They get to spend time together, but we aren’t privy to those evenings or weekends.

In fact, much of what is said in this novel is outside of the little notes we get to read. Kuiper brilliantly sets up a world that makes this possible.At first, I thought this format would have been restricting and that it might not work as a cohesive novel, but she pulls it off.

The concept pulled me in and the story kept me engaged. It’s divided into four parts. The first part spans only a month, but by the end of the novel, we have spent the spring and the summer with this family and learned a lot about them. It even tugs at our heart-strings a little.

It’s a quick read and one that I would recommend.

My List of 2016 Reads – my annual and interactive reading log