Title: Someone Else’s Shoes
Author: Jojo Moyes
Release Date: February 2, 2023
Length: 448 pages
Genre: Women’s Fiction / Contemporary Romance
***My Review***
Even though you’ve all heard the advice to “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes for a day,” Sam does it. Even so, she didn’t intend to wear the heels, but she was forced to when she accidentally took a bag from the gym that wasn’t hers.
When people claim that a nice pair of shoes may alter your life, they occasionally mean it. Sam is going through a very difficult time in her life. Her employer never misses an opportunity to criticize her, her husband never seems to get out of his perpetual melancholy, and her best friend is battling cancer for their life. How, therefore, can a single pair of shoes alter her life so significantly?
Nisha, on the other hand, has it all. However, life is full of surprises. Her husband unexpectedly serves her with divorce papers, her gym bag with everything in it is taken, and she is left without money or a place to stay. So she’s now stranded in a dingy motel with no idea how to get her life back together.
Both ladies experience alterations as a result of the changed shoes. What can we anticipate in the future? How will their lives be?
Moyes has a flowing writing style that carries readers along for the trip. Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes was well written, but I had trouble getting through the first half. I had little interest in the tale, and the characters were uninteresting and totally unrelatable. Once both women have met, the novel picks up in the second half, and I start to feel like I’m reading a separate narrative.
The second portion was without a doubt quite entertaining, and the characters developed into recognizable and unforgettable individuals. These are actual, flawed, secretive ladies with issues. And the palette of characters was excellent: a single mother working several jobs, a cancer sufferer, a menopausal mother who is overworked, and a trophy wife. …
The supporting cast also excels; I particularly liked Jasmine and Andrea, whose parts in the storyline were essential and added depth to the drama.
Nevertheless, the two very different women who are dealing with one catastrophe after another are the center of attention as they get entwined in their shared battle for survival.
Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes is told from the views of both characters, along with a few others who appear sometimes. Each character’s voice is distinct and makes it easy to distinguish them from one another. The tale is peppered with British slang, and the contrast between English and American society is clear.
The impact of depression on a partner, marriage, and family are thoughtfully addressed. Sam was struggling to be helpful but yet lost herself in the process, and I felt so bad for her. She made both wise and foolish decisions, but isn’t that reasonable? Nisha wasn’t as relatable to me at first, but as her character developed, the more I could identify with her and her choices.
On the plus side, there is a lot of humor, both subtle and slapstick, which won’t transform a person’s life, but it will make time pass smoothly and conclude with a huge cheer. Additionally, it is always pleasant to see characters that look to be their actual age and who act like it.
It should be noted that Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes contains mature themes, harsh language, and sexual content, all of which are done tastefully and improve the presentation of the book as a whole.
Despite being well-known and having a predictable plot, this novel is nevertheless entertaining to read and has a nice ending.
Readers who like women’s fiction and other books by Jojo Moyes will likely find Someone Else’s Shoes to be well-written and enjoyable. Perfect for both older audiences and the younger crowd.