Review: Redhead by the Side of the Road (by Anne Tyler)

My Rating:  4 stars

Anne Tyler has the unique ability to take the most mundane, ordinary of events and combine them with well-developed, relatable characters to create wonderfully nuanced stories that are both heartfelt and earnest.  I love Tyler’s low-key style and the way she presents her characters always as they are — no fan fare, no big attention-grabbing event, no major earth-shattering revelation — just an ordinary character going about their every day tasks. 

This time around, our protagonist is Micah Mortimer, a 44-year-old self-employed tech expert who lives a life of carefully planned routine — from his morning runs that start and end at the same designated times and follow the same exact path each day to the household chores that are meticulously scheduled and performed:  floor-mopping on Mondays, kitchen-cleaning on Thursdays, vacuuming on Fridays, etc.  To say that Micah is a creature of habit is an understatement — run, shower, breakfast, tidy-up, then get ready to start his first call of the day, his mornings consisted of a system rarely deviated from and fastidious to a fault.  But then one day, two things happen that threaten to shatter Micah’s carefully guarded routine:  his “woman friend” Cass tells him that she is on the verge of losing her apartment, and later, the teenage son of an ex-lover shows up at his door claiming to be his son.  How will Micah handle these unexpected disruptions and the aftermath that results? 

I read this book in one sitting this past Sunday morning and let me tell you, it definitely made my day!  I enjoy stories that are witty yet poignant, where the humor is subtle and occurs so naturally that you find yourself chuckling without realizing it (that was me during the “Traffic God” moments).  This was a simple story, but one that had substance and also a lot of heart — a perfect choice during this challenging time.  Every time I pick up one of Tyler’s newest novels to read, I remind myself that I have yet to work my way through her prolific backlist, which I intend to do at one point or another — while still anticipating her next book of course!