Scrabble in the Afternoon

by Biddy Wells

When Biddy Wells’s elderly mother is suddenly struck down with a mysterious illness, Biddy moves her into the spare bedroom, little knowing how long the period of convalescence will last. Through the months that follow, the two women have to re-inhabit the close domestic proximity that they’d abandoned decades before and learn how to co-exist within a tangled web of emotional need, resentment, and dependence. Eventually, Biddy manages to find a supported flat that’s ideal for her mother. She settles quickly and, abandoning her morbidly stoic outlook on life, falls passionately, obsessively in love with another resident. Biddy can only watch from the sideline as her mother throws herself into the infatuation, giving more of herself to this virtual stranger than she ever had to Biddy. Told with humour, wry insight, and refreshing honesty, Scrabble in the Afternoon examines the complicated, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding story of how a daughter can come to terms with caring wholeheartedly for a mother whose own lack of maternal instinct and care had marked her through childhood.

170 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2021

Reviews

[Federica · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insightful story about the relationship between a mother and her daughter. The mother is sick and the daughter becomes her caretaker, in a swap of roles that so frequently happens.
Biddy has to learn to take care of her elderly mother and the journey to get there isn't easy. The themes are mother daughter relationships, and and family.
Very well written!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chandra Sundeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scrabble in the Afternoon is the emotional journey of Biddy Wells as a caregiver to her sick mother. Often the world notices only the suffering of the one who is sick, and the challenges faced by the caregiver go unnoticed. Wells has journaled her fears, anxieties, resentment and challenges with utmost honesty.

Thank you, Parthian Books, and Netgalley for providing me with the digital ARC.

Detailed review here https://wordsopedia.com/scrabble-in-t...

3.8/5

BLOG | INSTA

[Sami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biddy Wells' memoir of caring for her elderly mother as she recuperates after a fall is thoughtful, concise, and moving. Grateful to have no tension with my own mother (aside from the occasional heated disagreement because we are, after all, both humans), I appreciate the seemingly honest portrayal of her struggle between love and resentment as she reflects back on her perception of her mother's selfishness and her childhood.

Introspective to an extreme, this memoir was written in a sort of vacuum, focusing only on Biddy and her mother, leaving me with questions about the other characters, mentioned and not, who featured in the background--and foreground--of these stories. Who was David? Where were Wells' siblings? What was the mother's relationship with her grandchildren? To that end, I couldn't quite figure out the purpose of this memoir. Well-written, certainly, and refreshingly honest, Wells' memoir didn't seem to have a particular angle justifying its publication to a wide audience. Indeed, I felt very much like I was reading a diary, albeit not a particularly significant or enlightening one.

Furthermore, the defining feature I had been expecting from the title was practically irrelevant. Biddy and her mother played Scrabble only a few times over the course of the book, and never was a Scrabble game described in any sort of detail, likening the word play to the fraught mother-daughter history or using the game as a metaphor for communication. As a language lover, I was excited to see how Scrabble would be incorporated into this vulnerable, emotional story and was disappointed that it wasn't at all.

Short and sweet, I imagine this book could be a comforting read for someone struggling with a filial relationship or the pain of a parent's illness. As a regular reader with (thankfully) healthy relationships and healthy parents, I can't say this was worth the time.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you to Parthian Books and author Biddy Wells. Opinions stated in this review are honest and my own.
Release Date: 1 April 2021

[Art Nanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to describe Biddy’s book in a few words (I know how busy you all are going nowhere fast), I would use words like: interesting, thoughtful, open and honest.
I find it to be a great little book.
We are all flies on the walls of Biddy’s living room!
It is a multi-layered story with hidden depths.
The book is like a compact hand grenade dropped into our minds where it softly explodes.
Biddy paints a candid, nuanced portrait of herself and her mother. On the surface, it is about Biddy taking care of her elderly mum while trying to maintain a life of her own.
This book lives in the crack between two worlds. The Good Old We Days (when children naturally took care of their elders without dispute). And the Brave New Me World (where old people are seen as a nuisance and fewer children feel the need to make sure the older generation are taken care of properly).
So, is Biddy forced to seemingly give up her own life? Is it a sacrifice? Or does she do it by her own free will? Is Biddy being a Good Girl or a Good Person? Maybe all of them?
Cleverly, the author leaves such judgements to the reader.
Always say 1+1. Never 2.
Even deeper, the story seems to touch on what happens when you give away approval to someone else. Does this make you happy? Or can we learn to disappoint another to be true to ourselves? And when does being true to yourself become share egotism? The book deals indirectly with these hard questions we all must face.
I can even see this book as suggesting some of the most profound questions we can pose ourselves. Such as: do we ever really have a choice, or is Life just happening all by itself?
The book is low key and thankfully avoids any of the shouting and high drama conflicts we have become so used to from the telly. Sturm-und-Drang conflicts are not necessary to make enjoyable suspense.
A nice cup of tea and a quiet fire are, of course, not necessary props, but they will in no way diminish the experience of reading the book.
In short: Well done, Wells!
Recommended from the cold, dark woods of the North.

[Sneha · Rating 3 out of 5]

First thing : I absolutely love the cover.

I remember reading the contemporary fiction, ‘Burnt Sugar’ about a female protagonist, her mother and their mixed feelings towards each other and I loved that read. When I read the description of this book, it rang bells and lately I have been into reading memoirs so I picked it up.

This book meets the expectations if you are into reading books that explore filial relationship. The narrator and her 30 years older mother share an ambivalence relationship. At first the book left me in awe then it started going in circles. Some fragments of the past then coming back in talking about present then past then again the same present. I usually like this kinda narration back and forth in time but only when the present time moves forward with the telling. But here the narration about the present and the narrator’s monologue felt too repetitive.

I genuinely started enjoying the book in the second part and the rest of the book. The overall writing style is reading-friendly. Nothing bombastic about it. I preferred it that way.
I liked this book, overall speaking. The concept of the book, precisely. The whole book has this scrabble vibes, like, producing something meaningful out of fragments in life. Clearly the author had put a lot into this piece of work. Conveying tangled human emotions and putting them in words isn’t an easy job but the author had done well.

I would like to thank NetGalley and publishers for providing this ARC.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book because I am trying to expand my genre list, and this seemed like something completely out of my comfort zone. I found out exactly why these stay out of my usual reading list, though. That is not to say it doesn't have good writing, but overall I feel personal relations with a parental figure would change how different people would view the book.
The author is an adult with grown children of her own when one day she gets a call about her mother. This starts a chapter of her life that redefines a lot of her perspectives. She has a genuinely complicated relationship with her mother but has a sustaining love and feeling of responsibility for her well-being. Long term care (of any duration) of anyone ill and chaffing at the loss of their independence is something that is universally acknowledged to be complicated. In this particular book, the author has vented in the form of catharsis. She uses that description when discussing the possibility of the work's contents with her mother before she went ahead with it.
It is a short work, and the descriptions swift and straightforward, making it easy to see everyone clearly in just a few short pages. This meant that despite being a small work, I would have liked it even better if it had been even more concise.
I liked the author's style, and this book can spark a lot of conversation over people and how they view their 'responsibilities' to their parents irrespective of how they were themselves raised by said parents.
Finally, I received this book as an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

🧩 Scrabble In the Afternoon 🧩
By Biddy Wells
Publisher: Parthian Books (Sept 1. 2021)

Slow and poignant. Like taking a Sunday drive.
At 170 pages, it’s not a large book but it definitely takes on an emotional side of what happens when a woman takes on the care giving for her elusive mother who withheld the nurturing she needed as a young girl.

When I read it, I didn’t realize it was a memoir. It read like fiction with the theme of a mother-daughter relationship and all the emotions that can come within. However after reading more about Biddy, I realized that it was indeed based on her own experience of finding herself as the caregiver for her mother.

If you enjoy books that deal with self reflection or digging in to what we owe our parents (and what they owe us)… then you’ll enjoy this. And I use the word “owe” quite purposefully… this short novel will let you gather your own thoughts on that twilight zone on living your own life vs. Caregiving for the older loved ones in your life. I enjoyed it. As I said, like a slow country drive where your mind wanders about your own journey and future. 3.5 stars ⭐️

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biddy Wells delivers a poignant recollection of the complexity of her relationship with her aging mother. She strives and achieves to relay the many feelings and challenges from both perspectives.

In one excerpt, the question is raised, “at what point should the children of elderly parents intervene and put an end to independent living”? This is a theme that so many have and will continue to face and struggle with. For folks on the cusp of, or actively living with these tough decisions, Wells’ book could provide some insight and solace.

Wells’ also tackles how she dealt with her personal demons with her mother in a compassionate and well thought out way. She delivers her own familial story in a way that will resonate with so many. How to repair what’s been broken? Should we try? How far do we go at the price of hurting a parent or oneself?

Scrabble in the Afternoon provides an honest look into the vulnerabilities that exist between mothers and daughters and gifts readers the opportunity to reflect on theirs.

[Milinda Yount · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scrabble in the Afternoon is a thoughtful memoir describing the author’s relationship with her mother as she experiences it and understands it over the course of one of the last years of her mother’s life. The story feels open and honest and deeply personal. I love that she tells us about letting her mother read the manuscript – and I love it that she shares her mother’s reaction with us. The story is relatable for those who have had a parent in hospice, requiring care, moving to an assisted living home, and changing in behavior. Her story is also unique describing their individual relationship and history. I enjoyed it a lot though it didn’t always feel organized and I would have preferred some chapter breaks. The cover and title were what initially drew me in and I appreciated the time I spent with this book. Thanks to Net Galley and Parthian Books for the advanced copy to read and review; all opinions are my own.

[BOOK BOOK BOOKA]

NOTE: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Scrabble in the Afternoon chronicles Wells' relationship with her aging mother when the latter has to move in with her due to an illness. The women bond and clash, as mothers and daughters often do, and Wells weaves these experiences into an engaging and introspective narrative that feels like a window into her mind during those times. Both women have distinct personalities and reading about their relationship was immensely interesting.

The book is short and written in simple language but has a strong voice of its own. I finished the entire read in one sitting. Would recommend to those who are interested in reading about mother-daughter relationships through a realistic lens.

RATING: N/A to autobiographies and memoirs.

[Alyssa Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read about a woman who is transformed by the process of taking care of her elderly mother. It discusses and mother/daughter relationships, but the author dives deeper into the holes that childhood longing leave. You see this through both the mother and the daughter. Their story is bigger than them - it is the story of how generations of trauma, hurt and disappointments keep a cycle going. And in this story, the daughter attempts to reconcile her feelings and memories with her otherwise pleasant current life. It's about difficult road to acceptance. However hard and difficult and impossible it seems sometimes, though, acceptance and facing the reality head-on is the only way to peace.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Biddy Wells for the digital ARC.

4/5 stars.

[Kristin- Kristin's Bookstack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a memoir about the author, Biddy Wells, and her time spent taking care of her elderly mother. Biddy gives a great description of what daily life is like when caring for an aging parent. She talks about the loneliness, the daily games of scrabble, the struggles with decisions about the best care for her mom, and how she never got a break unless someone came over for a few hours to help. Biddy does mention what she learned about herself during this time and how it helped her to grow. I would recommend this book to readers who are in similar situations or someone who loves reading about other people's experiences!

Thank you to NetGalley and Parthian Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Caroline]

In this, her second novel, Biddy sensitively captures a prolonged, challenging and lonely period in her life – nursing and caring for her elderly mother at home.  The author navigates this most onerous of demands on her time, her freedom, her peace and her privacy with rigour, humour and selflessness. 
It is a book that will resonate especially loudly with this generation of middle-aged women who find themselves contemplating years of caring their own elderly parents.
Scrabble in the Afternoon is an authentic and compassionate book about a personally arduous and demanding subject; exhibiting candour, profound self-reflection and forgiveness.
Highly recommended

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wells writer a touching and forthright memoir about elder care. Her mother was feeble and needed assistance so Biddy put her life on hold for almost a year to care for her. They become closer, but also friction occurs, especially when her mother allows her love interest to dominate her. This is a topic that is very relevant as children find themselves responsible for their elderly parents’ care. It was short book and it offered insight into the draining, yet rewarding experience of caring for her mother. Thanks to Parthian Books and NetGalley for the early copy.

[Aline Mello · Rating 3 out of 5]

I choose this book specifically because of the cover not realizing exactly what it was about. There is nothing wrong with it, it is just not my cup of tea. It might be good to get inside a daughter-mother relationship, since the book is written at the daughter's perspective and be involved in their feelings, but nothing really happens, the story just drags on through the pages and through the years. I am not sure who would be audience for this book, maybe someone that is going through the same phase, not me, not yet.

[Kailee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the Parthain Publishing for the digital ARC.

This was a charming, insightful book about the relationship between a sick mother and her caretaker daughter. Biddy talks about the trials and joys of learning to take care of her elderly mother. There are themes of family, mother daughter relationships and love. A delightful afternoon read.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and simple. There Wasn’t any major things wrong with it tbh it just wasn’t to my taste

[Sue Hayward-Ault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Parthian for allowing me to review Scrabble in the Afternoon.
This describes the relationship between a daughter and her elderly mother when her mother becomes ill and roles are reversed.
It explores a previous tenuous relationship and how much you should step back and allow independence regardless of the implications
A good read that makes you wonder what would you do in the same circumstances.