Book Review: California by Edan Lepucki
In a post-apocalyptic world, Frida and her husband must survive both the elements and other people while their marriage loses its stronghold.
Frida and Cal begin California living off the land by themselves in a secluded shack. They have little to no interaction with anyone except each other.
On Goodreads, the author’s husband mentioned this might be the ideal outcome for hipsters of the world, which makes me chuckle. Just think of the authenticity Frida and Cal must be achieving! The untreated vintage wood, the candle-lit evenings, the t-shirts worn thin with strategic holes, genuine pine scent, the organic gardens…hipsters would sh*t themselves over such artisanal purity.
On it surface, California is about people living after the breakdown. And it is – the breakdown doesn’t just serve as a backdrop to the real story. It, in itself, is the story.
But at its core is Frida and Cal. To me, the book is more about their marriage and the secrets they keep, beginning with the stupid turkey baster. If Frida can keep something as small as a turkey baster a secret, what does that mean for the larger things they encounter?
There are so many moments in California when they should have talked to each other. It would solve so much.
