Fishwives

by Sally Bellerose

Eighty-nine-year-old Regina and ninety-year-old Jackie met in 1955, an era when women were rounded up and jailed simply for dancing together or dressing like a man. On a cold winter day they manage to get themselves out of the house with the help of TJ and Ramon, two young men from their working-class neighborhood in Western Massachusetts. They tie their long-dead Christmas tree to the top of their car and, using a screwdriver in place of a broken gearshift, slowly make the drive to the dump.

This is also the day when everything changes.

During the course of their adventure, memories are triggered. Their history as a passionate and devoted, but troubled couple at the intersection of historic cultural and political change unfolds via scenes from the past—including their first meeting during a police raid on a bar and Regina's epiphany that she could truly love another woman. In the early years, they often live apart as they flee landlords who discover their secret. As their journey leads them to seek jobs and a sustainable life, they are sometimes separated—but always find their way back to each other.

Combining the pathos and social significance of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café and the humor of The Golden with a cast of diverse characters worthy of the musical Rent, Fishwives chronicles a lifetime through the eyes of two old women behaving badly.

Genres: Fiction, LGBT, Historical Fiction, Queer, Lesbian

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2021

Reviews

[Della B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I noticed is the rhythm of the written words. It carries you along as the images appear. Ninety year old Jackie, a quiet butch rising stiffly out of bed. Her wife Regina in her pink housecoat and slippers handing her a cup of coffee to start the day. They have been together for over sixty years as we see their lives in the cherished stories they tell each other to help remember.
With the stories of their life comes the history of the lesbians who came before us. Their search for gathering places of like minded women in a generation when it was illegal and dangerous. Finding a community of friends to love and support you when life knocks you down to your knees. The families you create when you lose your own.
Bellerose weaves you into their lives with a skilled hand. They become a part of you. It may be because I am at the point in my life where there are less days ahead than behind me but their story affected me deeply. I laughed with them and cried with them and everything in between. Even now, hours after I read the final pages there is an ache deep in my chest like I have lost something important to me.

Extraordinary writing does not happen often. Do not miss out on this magnificent novel.

This is a 10 out of 5 ⭐️ !

I received an advance review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fishwives by Sally Bellerose is technically the fictional story of two women, Jackie and Regina, but in reality it is so much more than that. The book begins in the near present day (2017) when the two ladies, 89 and 90 years old are starting their day off reminiscing about their lives together. It is a very critical day for them, a day when everything changes, but they don’t realize that as they share their memories with each other, and by extension, with us. These memories will take us all the way back to 1955, when they met during a raid at a gay bar. This was when gays and lesbians could be thrown in jail simply for dancing with someone of the same sex or wearing the clothes of the opposite gender. From here we learn about their life together and apart as they live through a critical time in history for LGBT+ people. We see them as they endure discrimination, homophobia, poverty, and loss, but also friendship, acceptance, and love.

This is a tale that will stay with you long after the tale is done. Their story is like a living history of our times. These are fictional characters, but they don’t feel that way. They became so real to me that I would not have been surprised to see them step out of the pages of the book, sit down and continue their story in my living room. They are that well-developed.

There are so many reasons I can list to encourage you to read this book, from the excellent storytelling, the realistic characters, the history, etc. The list could go on and on. You really need to read this book. It has my highest recommendation.

I received an ARC from Bywater Books for an honest review.

[Bett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am 65 years old. I say that both as a disclaimer and as a point of reference to explain how much this excellent novel affected me personally. My mother was diabetic, and so am I. I also have rheumatoid arthritis, another point that connects me personally to this story of two lesbians who have been together as a couple for more than fifty years. My own relationship is more than twenty years strong.
I read this book in one day, motivated by those points of commonality, as well as anticipation sprung from reading the short story on which it is based. My admiration for author Sally Bellerose, who also wrote The Girls Club (https://www.bywaterbooks.com/product/...) has been affirmed and greatly increased by reading her newest work.
I am old, older than my years, debilitated, ravaged, by genetics, viciously mauled by RA, tempered by the inevitability of aging. There is no way to win. I can sit here now, typing with two crooked fingers, and bemoan my fate, but really, there is no cautionary advice to steer anyone away from my current state. I was very active and healthy when I was young, and never gave a thought to what would happen to my twisted spine, the birth defects that never really slowed me down when I was younger, but now run undeterred by medication and work their will.
I have no regrets now about how I lived. I only wish I could have remained unaware and uncaring of my disabilities for longer. Mostly, I just hope for enough mobility to take care of myself and my partner, but I hold no illusions about the years ahead of us. They will be filled with pain and growing difficulty in caring for each other.
That is what this book is all about. Longevity. The shared memories and triumphs, the defeats and hurtful confrontations, the resolve to do better, be better for each other, the stories that we tell each other and relive as best we can. The point is made in Fishwives that we have much more of the past to play with than we do of the future.
Usually, I write reviews as soon as I finish a book, if it is good, while details, names, plot is still fresh and still moving me to some emotion like satisfaction, resolve, to some illuminating point that will make others want to read the book too.
This time, I cried, and set the book aside, because it was so personal, so close to my own life, that I couldn't find words to describe what it meant to me. I do strongly recommend this book to younger readers as well as to those my age and older. There is humor , and much love, and great encouragement to live the life you have fully. Because when you reach a certain age, the memories, the stories you make together with whomever you love, those become the touchstones that mark and fill your days. Make as many of them as you can. The entertainment they provide will fill your days when other things, age, health, pain, restrict your ability to make more. There is a certain joy in that, in knowing that the loving and living you do today will sustain you long into that future that maybe we all think too little about.

[Rain G · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so interesting to read about the life of these two women when they met in 1955. And then know about how they developed their relationship through different moments in life while getting old together.

This was not an easy story to read. Sometimes surrounded by harsh reality and dark times, but at the same time it was so full of love, and not only romantic:
These two women made a difference by taking care of those needed souls around them.

This was a different read.
I like different.

4.2 Stars rounded to 5

[Women Using Words · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fishwives is a fine example of superb storytelling. It is captivating from its first paragraph and it never wanes. Intricate and complex, Bellerose’s story details the life of two strong-willed and independent lesbians and their 62 years together. Staying true to six decades of history and culture, Fishwives provides readers with a realistic representation of queer and gay life through the eyes of two fascinating characters. Its themes are rooted in the love and connection people share not only with their lovers, but with their family, their friends and their community.

As I was reading this book, I was struck by how much it reminded me of a Russian stacking doll. Many stories from Jackie and Regina’s life are housed inside this grand tale, and each one provides a starting place for the next. All of these tender and touching reflections are passionately crafted, and each one puzzles brilliantly into the next. Readers can not help but be enthralled as they read this lovely narrative.

I loved all of the characters in this book. Not only are Jackie and Regina exceptionally well-developed, but so are the secondary characters. They all work to provide texture to the solidly structured and nicely paced story arc. Without them, Regina and Jackie’s life, flawed as it is, would come off flat and stale.

Final remarks…

This is such a beautiful story; I can’t remember when I’ve read something this rich and remarkable. Fishwives is intelligently penned and uniquely told. It affects readers in ways only exceptional writing can. This is a book not to be missed.

Strengths…

Well-written
Dynamically told
Uniquely crafted
Impactive
Emotional
Captivating

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Jackie.” Regina gently shakes her shoulder. “Stay with me.”

Massachusetts author Sally Bellerose mad her writing debut in 2011 with THE GIRLS CLUB – and proceeded to win many impressive awards. That novel explored the lives of young, white, working-class women in the 1970s. Now Sally moves into a different age bracket and once again opens the portal to appreciating lesbian relationships. As she has stated, ‘Class, sex, illness, and the absurdity of life have always fascinated me. Lately I’ve added growing old to the list. FISHWIVES is about old ladies behaving badly. And by badly, I mean autonomously – a condition often discouraged and disparaged in old people. I like the idea of writing about entwined lives because it gives me a chance to mess with the rhythm of time and shifting relationships.’

The sensitivity of Sally’s prose allows her to explore tough terrain with ease: few writers can find the humor in the aging minds with the open grace that abounds throughout this novel. This gift is evident in the opening lines: ‘It’s 5:00 a.m. on a winter morning. Ninety-year-old Jackie sits in her boxer shorts counting her blessings. She’s taking the advice of her wife, Regina, who came home yesterday from a “Growing Old in the Spirit” meeting at the Senior Center touting “gratitude meditation’ to promote sleep, health, and well-being. Jackie hoped recognizing her blessings would buy her a catnap. Jackie’s well-being is the same as it was when she got out of bed. The pain in her hip, as she sit alone on the couch, is sharp…’

With that bit of mood setting, the story unfolds as follows: ‘Eighty-nine-year-old Regina and ninety-year-old Jackie met in 1955, an era when women were rounded up and jailed simply for dancing together or dressing like a man. On a cold winter day they manage to get themselves out of the house with the help of TJ and Ramon, two young men from their working-class neighborhood in Western Massachusetts. They tie their long-dead Christmas tree to the top of their car and, using a screwdriver in place of a broken gearshift, slowly make the drive to the dump. This is also the day when everything changes. During the course of their adventure, memories are triggered. Their history as a passionate and devoted, but troubled couple at the intersection of historic cultural and political change unfolds via scenes from the past—including their first meeting during a police raid on a bar and Regina's epiphany that she could truly love another woman. In the early years, they often live apart as they flee landlords who discover their secret. As their journey leads them to seek jobs and a sustainable life, they are sometimes separated—but always find their way back to each other.’

Incredibly fine character creations invite us into the lives of two women whose humor and wisdom and growth provides a completely inviting story. Very highly recommended.

[chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I picked up this book, and WOW did it take me on a beautiful and pain-filled journey.

Jackie is the first masculine female character who I’ve ever read about chest binding, and the first time I have seen gendered body dysphoria so present in (contemporary?) lesbian fiction—though not labeled as such. Jackie is still binding her chest at 90yr old, and this topic just does. not. appear in lesfic. I am so grateful to this author for including it, and for writing Jackie’s experience of gender so …gracefully.

I actually don’t know how to critique the writing at all because nothing mattered to me about the grammar or sentence structure—I only know how this book made me FEEL, and I’m not even sure I can describe that. It was haunting, it was difficult, it was beautiful, it was troubling, and it was raw emotion at every turn.

An absolutely phenomenal story! 6/5

[Beth 'Misselthwaite' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buckle up folks, Misslethwaite's got another review for you, and this time it's a love story for the *ahem* ages.
~ Long review ahead, because like Jackie once I start talking, I'm not sure I can stop...~
A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club in exchange for an honest review.



Albeit oftentimes touching on the more tumultuous than tender, Fishwives tells the story of Jackie and Regina, two lesbians on the older side of life, looking back on their various memories together through the years. Told in a dual narrative style in a sense, the pair begin each chapter in the ‘present’ day, in this case 2017, and sink into a different memory that we follow them into as it is being ‘told to us’, the narrative itself shifting into the day and time in question. It took me one or two chapters to work out that that was to be the process for the whole novel, but thanks to the helpful inclusion of dates at the top of each section to let us know where to place ourselves, I can’t say I ever felt lost or confused by the change occurring during chapters.

There were some places I think I would have liked a slightly smoother transition, particular ends of chapters shifting into the next, as not every memory section or ending scene of the chapter always felt quite ‘complete’ or ‘concluded’ to me, but saying that, I suppose if you want to get technical the same could be said of memory itself, how we rarely remember things or events fully or our memory of things stops at an abrupt point, so with that in mind I didn’t have as much of an issue with the chapter endings as I might have done had the story not been focused on the notions of memory.

The side characters were well fleshed out and enjoyable to get to know, particularly the ways their lives bumped in and out of the lives of our MCs, all with varying interactions that were unique enough to say something slightly different each time about how we talk with others, define ourselves, make assumptions or judgements and forgive or forget those transgressions on all sides. I do wish we had seen a little more of Oscar and his part in their lives, being the way he was, but with a cast already rich with so full to the brim with characters to recall, it's probably for the best we were limited to the closer friends of the group. Seeing Ramon and TJ's growth throughout was an interesting side plot also, how they progressed from *that* pool scene, into the young men they become and all the trials and tribulations of friendship in all its forms that comes with growing up close to someone.

As for Jackie and Regina themselves, it was wonderful to be able to read a wlw novel with much older protags, as I can't recall it being something I have seen or read very often at all, which seems strange as I'm sure elderly lesbians do exist! Haha. The exploration of the perils, pitfalls and pleasures of growing old with someone you love was handled very well and the women themselves had their flaws but this only serves to deepen the realness of the story as we know as much as we might like to remember them that way, no-one is 100% perfect 100% of the time. My one qualm is that I do wish we had perhaps one or two more light-hearted scenes/memories peppered in alongside the others, to bolster the story at times when the subject became quite weighty however there were plenty of wonderful snippets and snark from the characters themselves, enough to keep the story pleasantly going, particularly if like me by the time you reached the 50% mark you had already decided your faves!

Rounding up with a brief touch on the technical, I found this to be a very well-written novel at the word level. Descriptions of scenes were vivid, sometimes even lush in places (again I must praise the pool section for how it stuck in my memory, semi-pun intended). Dialogue felt real and not glossed or sugar-coated for sickly sweet romance, making interactions between characters both interesting to read and interesting to ponder. There were occasional moments where the narrative style seemed to slip or shift just slightly, in the way certain things or certain actions were described, as well as some paragraphs that could feel a little more like choreography at times but overall the writing was of a pleasantly consistent standard that made the book itself feel good to fall into for stretches at a time.

My final conclusion is that all in all, (and anyone who has ever sat with an elderly relative or older member of the community can probably attest to) reading this often felt like sitting beside our two old ladies, listening to them tell you moments of their lives, the enriched and the awkward and the unfairness that faced (and still sadly faces) those who just want to live a good long life and love who they love to the end of it. Not necessarily one I could bring myself to reread, nor call a five-star fave, but I'm glad I took my time with it. A strong 4.5 read.

[Bryn Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real.

A look at lesbian life from the 1950s to the present-day, over Regina and Jackie's tumultuous relationship, their friends, relations, and the kids they stand-in mother.

Jackie (white) and her oldest friend Bo (black) are butches, old-style in the earlier decades, encountering new language for and new conceptions of masculine women in recent times, facing these with different strategies of how-to-exist. This is a great portrait of a friendship.

Small towns, big cities; race; poverty. So much territory explored in the large scope of this novel.

It has episodes of intense drama -- particularly when two or three of the topics listed above come into intersection and to a head.

Nobody's perfect, nothing is easy. But there's a lot of sympathy all round.

Very well written. An experience.

[emily]

dnf at about 19%.

I just didn’t quite connect with the writing style of this, I think. The constant pov switching mid sentence and paragraph was jarring, and it made it hard to connect to the characters. I probably could have pushed through, because I was interested in seeing how this played out, and seeing an era of queer history I don’t know much about, but I just can’t seem to get into it and there are other books I want to read. Might come back to it someday when Im in a different mood.

[ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

the easiest way for me to describe the experience of this book is to call it nostalgic, but in the way where the experience is not mine to be nostalgic about. the sheer difficulty of immersing myself in this book is all because it feels like am being a voyeur of jackie’s and regina’s intimacy. but isn’t that what all acts of reading amounts to?

it was particularly a struggle because i must drop the book like it’s hot whenever i encounter lines that make my heart clench like a fist. over what? over love. over
love between women. over love between lesbians. over love between butches and femmes. there is absolutely nothing like it.

this is the first book that choked me up to the point of tears. at least in recent memory. and why wouldn’t it? it made me acutely aware of my loneliness and lack of community. made me pine for a butch dyke mentor of my own. the loss in this book is a real loss that i will carry with me to the depths. damn it.

it was the flirtatious electricity that hooked me. the undeniable passion of love and desire between butches and femmes - flaws, infidelity, and all. and there’s nothing more beautiful than growing old with the woman you love, is there?

jackie’s stone butchiness is my favourite facet of her character. and i also love regina’s haughty self-righteousness. somehow, it made them perfect for each other.

i also appreciate the masterful way the author handled the ending (future me, you know what scene i mean. it’s when we cried like someone sucker punched us in the gut). its reliance on implication and shadow made it all the more impactful. amazing.

[Eric Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

FISHWIVES is an extraordinary novel that spans a single day but encompasses over sixty years in the lives of Jackie and Regina, two women who meet in a dyke bar in Hell’s Kitchen and against all odds decide to build a life together. They’re lusty, stubborn, poor, and can be ornery at times — but they love each other fiercely and I was very happy to get to know them.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and moving story about the lives of an American lesbian couple and their friends and family, told in snapshots of memories. It covers incidents from the 1950s until their old age.

[Raychel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely beautiful and heartrending story about a lifetime of queer love and experiences. Our story opens on Saturday, February 18, 2017 as ninety-year-old Jackie and eighty-nine-year-old Regina wake up together. Throughout the day as the two women go about their lives, their sixty year love story gradually unfolds. We are told of their first impressions, biggest fights, worst heartaches, sorrows, and overwhelming joy throughout their years.

The small vignettes are told in stories from one to the other, beginning in October 1955 and span the next six decades. In the midst of their story is also the struggle of being gay in every single era of American life. We are told accounts of people being beaten and imprisoned for dancing with members of the same sex or wearing the wrong gendered clothing, forced poverty because the heteropatriarchy can't imagine giving a "man's" job to a woman, Jackie and Regina having to move every couple of months when their neighbors get suspicious, and their friend Bo desperately wanting to pass as a man and be called their partner's husband. The oppression and prejudices are never made more palatable, but Sally Bellerose also inundates this novel with some of the most beautiful aspects of queerness. There's found family, self-acceptance, and discussions on intersectionality. Despite the very real and difficult conflicts they went through, Jackie and Regina ultimately developed a love story that no one believed was possible for two women--not even them.

I can't help but draw comparisons between this and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and I mean that with the highest regard. I laughed over this book and I also cried very hard. This is one that I can see joining the LGBTQ+ lit canon and is joining my favorite of all time shelf. A lifetime of queer love is the most beautiful to read and Sally Bellerose did it with authenticity and joy.

[K.D. Rye · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plot is simple—two women (Jackie and Regina) who have spent a lifetime together drive to the dump to get rid of an old Christmas tree and during the journey they bring up over 50 years of memories. What enfolds is an incredible display of humanity. I usually try to pitch a book based on interest, but it would be to society’s benefit if Fishwives was mandatory reading for everyone. Just one of many examples of how this book stretches the mind into a greater empathetical place was the police raid in the beginning which is how Jackie and Regina meet. I’m sure nearly every lgbt person has heard that it was illegal back in the 50s to cross-dress and for homosexuals to be in the act, but reading about the experience of police breaking into a gay bar on page was something else entirely. Bellerose also didn’t shy away from racism and the even greater hardship for black lesbians. This book teaches without preaching, and I was enthralled with the narrative the entire time.

The character work here was also rich and deep. Not only were Jackie and Regina laid out in all flaws, strengths, and weaknesses, but even side characters who had little page time were well-developed. Jackie especially left a huge impression on me, but that may be because I found her more relatable. The relationship between Jackie and Regina, for many reasons, wasn’t linear. Obviously there’s no suspense in this as they are together in their old age, but I greatly enjoyed reading about all of the bumps and breaks along the way, only to make the ending few pages that more powerful.

I think this book will stay with me until the day I die.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart. Thoughtful. Very moving. An important book.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent novel! I loved the characters and the choices of old women looking back over their long relationship, and the various figures in the 'hood who were included, with wonderful insights into their behaviors. Sensitively told and also plenty of delightful humor! It's a good read.

[Carolyn McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fishwives is a complex and multilayered narrative with its roots deeply set in history. It is the story of two women drawn to each other in a time when relationships were scrutinized and had to adhere to social mandates. To add to a time period fraught with tension, the author has created well-written characters that jump off the page. They are flawed and imperfect, even the secondary characters. That only makes them more real.

Historically captivating and well-written, Fishwives is an important and realistic look at what it meant to be a lesbian during a time when being a lesbian was full of danger, lies, secrets and suppresion.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fishwives was in my local bookstore’s window as one of their best sellers alongside Madeline Miller and Ocean Vuong. So glad I picked it up. Two elderly lesbians go to a dump to dispose of their Christmas tree and take the reader on a ride through their lives and moments of US history. Well written, engaging, funny, and sad - the characters struggle financially but are rich in lifelong friendships, good neighbors, and love. It’s an original take on the great American love story. The book jacket description of it being a cross between Fried Green Tomatoes and The Golden Girls is completely accurate. Loved it.

[Terry S.]

I'm wiping the tears away, having just finished "Fishwives." What an astounding novel! Every aspect of the book was spot on - the character development, the plot, the realistic conversations, the humor, the social commentary on many levels and, don't let me forget, the sex! I don't remember when I've read such an honest portrayal of a relationship with all its joys and disappointments. And much of the book is just so damn funny, too! I will hold these folks dear to my heart.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb storytelling.

The novel focuses on Regina and Jackie, a couple who had disparate views on multiple subjects including committment. Yet, despite this, their love prevailed and the story includes multiple throwbacks and highlights on the significant moments in their lives and their found family.

Reading this novel was an immersive and moving experience for me. I can't say I liked the ending, it left me in tears, but the novel was well worth my time.

[S.S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that will stay with me.

Sally Bellerose writes her tale in a way that had me gripped from the first page and full on sobbing by the end. This is a beautiful story that shows us the courage, sacrifice and tenacity that it took for those who came before.

This book. makes you think, it makes you feel.

Loved it.

[Audrey Malloy · Rating 1 out of 5]

A local setting & endearing ending couldn’t make up for the egregious number of typos in this book. Truly felt as though I was reading a rough draft - did ANYONE edit this? They couldn’t even use quotation marks correctly and they spelled “someone” “somewwone”! Sorry to give this book its only one star review on goodreads but seriously wth

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Character study of a couple from their youth until extreme old age told in vignettes. It held my interest pretty well, nicely written. Love is love and it's difficult to remember those days when just wearing men's clothing or wanting to live with your partner could get you arrested.

[Cheyenne Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent book that depicts lesbian life in the 1950s and onwards as well as telling a poignant love story between two flawed characters. Wonderful found family. Beautifully written. A solid five stars from me.

[Deb Harmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel told through the stories of a lesbian couple in their 80s. A reflection of their love, struggles, family and unexpected troop of supporters. Heart wrenching and heartwarming.

[Elaine Burnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The depth she gets into these women’s lives over the years, and the people they interact with, is really good and well done. Really enjoyed this.

[Karly Roux · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I’ve read in a while! Finished in 48 hours, I wish there was more to read!

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the opposite of escapism, its depressingly real and i'm sad now :( 4/5 stars

[jo]

dnf