Review: Well Written & Relatable
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 15, 2013
Strong Enough is a powerful novel. It's a story of self-discovery, of growing up, of changing perceptions and expectations. And it's poignantly told. It was amazing!I feel Strong Enough is actually the story of three women. These women knew each other in college and now find themselves, once again, living in the same town. Whitney, the main focus, left her small home town, after a rather defiant act, in an attempt to be adventurous in building a new life of her choosing. She's now a DJ at a local radio station and is steadily moving toward building the life she's dreamed of.Sadi, the second of the primary characters, is the cousin to Whitney's college roommate. She is fiercely independent, sarcastic, witty, and I adored her character. She hasn't always been nice to Whitney based on perceived flaws. But now she realizes that perhaps people can change.Leah, the last of the central characters, is wealthy, successful, beautiful, and a selfish bitch. Needless to say, I didn't care for her character but she is an integral part of the story.What I loved about Strong Enough -- well, I relished being able to watch these characters fight through their issues. There are trust issues, body image issues, self-doubt issues, etc., and these issues are so relatable. They're something we all experience. And their journeys are traveled through music. Each chapter title is a song - either real or fictional - including artist and album. The titles are very apt to the characters situations and, in my opinion, music and life are so intertwined. I think this was cleverly done. I also enjoyed that the fictional town in Strong Enough is based on Springfield, Missouri. I'm familiar with Springfield, as my brother attended college there. I'm also quite fond of the supporting cast of characters. Meredith is incredible, as is Marc. And Whitney's boss, Jerry is so real. All the side characters were extremely well developed.Ms. Harger really has a way with words. And y'all know I love words. Her use of language to describe everything from the weather to the emotional roller-coaster one would endure while making a life changing decision is exceptional. I could feel as though I was walking down the street with Sadi, sitting in the DJ booth with Whitney, feeling the icy cold of the wind. I fell in love with these characters and the downtown they inhabit. I was completely invested in them and how their choices would affect their lives. I adore Strong Enough and highly recommend it.