Practical Jean by Trevor Cole: A Review

Once I received my First Reads copy of Practical Jean from the www.goodreads.com giveaway program, it did not take me long to finish this delightful satire on friendship, aging and death.

Author, Trevor Cole shows his amazing insight into human nature with the creation of the character of Jean Horemarsh; artisan, wife, devoted daughter and friend. Jean is a charming woman, pushed too far by the the trauma she endures while caring for her dying mother. Deeply disturbed by her mother's suffering, Jean vows to never allow her dear, close friends to experience that kind of indignity.

For the first time in her life, Jean comes up with a "practical" solution; she becomes determined to offer her friends a last shining moment of happiness before she bestows upon them the great gift of mercifully ending their lives to protect them from the inevitable complications that come with aging.

Jean's plan is not without its flaws, as she discovers that delivering happiness to someone is indeed complicated, and that finding the right opportunity and appropriate method to end someone's life can be difficult. The process of saving her friends from growing old isn't quite what she expects it to be; however, it is very useful to Jean that her veterinarian, mother desensitized her to the sight of blood from an early age. The question is, will Jean be able to conceal her "good" deeds long enough to ensure that all of her deserving friends receive her "special" gift before she is caught?

If you enjoy black humour, suspense and a story of friendship with a twist, you will enjoy Practical Jean, written by Trevor Cole and published by McClelland & Stewart.

Trevor Cole

This review was first published on Oct. 2, 2010 on goodreads.com