Loose in the Bright Fantastic

by E.B. Moore

Gray-haired Maggie flees the hospital wearing her late husband's ill-fitting wingtips and an ancient mink over her hospital johnny. She escapes into the familiar comfort of the Boston Public Garden and, as dusk settles, her past and present meld together. She eludes the police and family for days, while revisiting old haunts, from tea at the Ritz to shopping at Goodwill. In Boston's South End, a homeless man shelters her in his squat, while she searches for her lawyer's office somewhere overlooking the park.

Maggie's adult children, Clair and Roger, search frantically for her while also dealing with the final sale of Maggie's house and the disposal of her belongings--along with their own challenges. Clair is separated from her husband and is contending with being a single mother to three active children and managing a house under renovations, full of pet mice and a slobbering dog. Roger, meanwhile, is immersing himself in his charity work with the homeless, avoiding the affections of his long-time best friend Jeremy. Clair's youngest, five-year-old Hank (aka Major Amazing Man), complicates matters further by setting out on his own to track down his beloved Nana.

Told from the varying points of view of Maggie, Clair, and Hank, each with their own version of events, this is a story of family ties that get stretched under duress but never quite break. Told with compassion and humor, this heartfelt story of generational challenges will appeal to any reader who has ever been part of a family.

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2023

Reviews

[SueK · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4.

Light and quick, mostly humorous, using humor to get one through the tragedy of what happens to the minds of some seniors.

The first two-thirds of the book felt oddly familiar, which makes me think I've read something similar somewhere along the line.

I did so love the relationship between five-year-old Hank and his "gram."

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loose in the bright fantastic is a beautifully crafted story with excellent writing. I found the story and writing to have an almost magical feel which kept me captivated through the whole novel.

It was so eye opening to follow the perspective of someone struggling with memory loss as it gave the narrative a sad and whimsical feel which was part of why i enjoyed it so much.

I think the author did a wonderful job of blending the realities of someone suffering Maggie’s condition and how it affects the people around them whilst bringing in lightness and a sense of joy.

Would absolutely recommend this book and would love to purchase a hard copy when it is published.

[Jody Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Perhaps strangely I could relate somewhat to the main character even though it is my husband who has Alzheimer's and not myself. He has his own little apartment within an apartment with his family photos and other mementos where we try to maintain (as long as possible) his independence within a supervised situation.

[Robin Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book by E.B. Moore concerns family drama. Clair and Roger's mother (Maggie), needs the kind of attention that many who reach age 79 commonly need. She's forgetful and needy in ways that tell Clair and Roger that she requires much support and ought not to be living alone. We see how these serious issues hit Maggie's adult children. The weight of responsibility and sense of loss for their mother forces them to act in her behalf, though this is not evenly shared by the 2 siblings, nor is it favorably received by Maggie. Clair feels more firmly that changes need to be made, and her intent is to bring her mother home to live with her and her 3 children. This delights Clair's youngest child (Hank) who is 5 years old and very close to his grandmother. One might say that they are "partners in crime". But the loss of autonomy is greatly felt by Maggie. She does not want her beloved home to be sold, and she doesn't want to go and live with her daughter. Alarmingly, Maggie disappears from the hospital, wearing her hospital johnny, and takes off. She goes in search of her home. This of course has her loved ones very upset, and they search for her everywhere. Along with desperation, there's some humor found in the account of the search for Maggie. So there's some playfulness found along with the heavy themes of the book.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Main character Maggie will stay in your heart long after you put down this book. In a masterful disguise, Maggie, experiencing dementia, disrupts her children’s plans to sell her home and find a facility that will provide care for her. She traipses through the once so familiar Boston landscape, toggling back and forth between her memories and the fear that her children will place her in a home. Maggie’s main concern is that she will lose the special relationship she has with Hank, her five-year-old grandson, who seems to be the only one who understands his Nana and who manages to start his own search for her. With grit and humor, E.B. Moore has captured what readers can imagine are the fragmented thoughts of someone with dementia. We come to know Maggie through her own muddled, but often clear, mind and from the perspectives of her daughter and grandson. The book’s ending is filled with grace, satisfying the reader, who has been rooting for Maggie all along. A perfect read for anyone, especially those who have experienced or are experiencing life with a person with dementia.

[Beth Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Recommendation
"Loose in the Bright Fantastic" by E.B. Moore will definitely touch the hearts of anyone who has had a loved one suffer
dementia, or anything similar. Maggie has lived an amazing life . Her husband Dan was the love of her life, they had two great children Claire and Roger ,and 3 grandchildren. After Dan died as it happens ,she began to have health issues that resulted in lots of forgetting. But in her head she is still a vivid , learned woman, and she still has a lifetime of memories that are available to her. Everyone tries to do that right thing .Newly divorced Claire is overstressed and is left to be the grown up as well as raising her 3 children. Roger has a hard time facing that his mother isn't who she was. It turns out the "right thing" isn't so clear. How do you give your mother the freedom and independence she has earned and keep her safe. It sounds sad but there is a lot of joy in this book. The author does a good job of taking us on an exciting jaunt through Maggie's world, wearing her dead husband's wing tip shoes and her mother's fur coat.

[mags♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is utterly unique with a stunning storyline and writing.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing and the story, though sad and serious was told with humor. Great characters.