Description:
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Fiction (2020)
A remarkably inventive novel that explores what it means to live a life fully in the moment, even if those moments are out of order.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1982, and Oona Lockhart has her whole life before her. At the stroke of midnight she will turn nineteen, and the year ahead promises to be one of consequence. Should she go to London to study economics, or remain at home in Brooklyn to pursue her passion for music and be with her boyfriend? As the countdown to the New Year begins, Oona faints and awakens thirty-two years in the future in her fifty-one-year-old body. Greeted by a friendly stranger in a beautiful house she’s told is her own, Oona learns that with each passing year she will leap to another age at random. And so begins Oona Out of Order…
Hopping through decades, pop culture fads, and much-needed stock tips, Oona is still a young woman on the inside but ever changing on the outside. Who will she be next year? Philanthropist? Club Kid? World traveler? Wife to a man she’s never met? Surprising, magical, and heart-wrenching, Margarita Montimore has crafted an unforgettable story about the burdens of time, the endurance of love, and the power of family.
-Sourced from Goodreads
Review:
Oona Lockhart, a young woman with her entire life ahead of her, experiences a life-altering event on New Year’s Eve 1982. As the clock strikes midnight, she unexpectedly faints and awakens 32 years later in her own 51-year-old body. Oona soon discovers that she will continue to jump through time, experiencing different stages of her life out of order.
In “Oona Out of Order,” Margarita Montimore crafts a remarkable and inventive novel that explores the meaning of living in the present moment, even when time seems to be against us. Oona’s journey takes her through different decades, popular culture trends, and unexpected experiences. While she remains a young woman inside, her external appearance constantly changes, leading her to ask herself who she will become in the upcoming years.
Montimore’s storytelling is both surprising and magical, while also carrying a heartfelt and poignant message about the weight of time, the endurance of love, and the power of family. The novel reflects on the burdens and joys of living in the moment, embracing uncertainty, and cherishing the relationships that shape our lives.
The audio version of “Oona Out of Order” is expertly narrated by Brittany Pressley, who brings the characters and their experiences to life with her captivating performance. Her narration adds an extra layer of depth to the story, making it an enjoyable experience for the readers.
Personally, I found myself engrossed in this thought-provoking tale, eagerly anticipating each new year and the unique events that Oona encounters. Although there were certain aspects of the book, such as explicit drug and sexual content, that didn’t resonate with my preferences, I couldn’t deny the book’s ability to captivate and intrigue.
However, upon reflection, I believe there is room for expansion in certain areas of the narrative. While the glimpse into Oona’s relationships with her mother and child is intriguing, I wished for more development and exploration of these pivotal connections. Additionally, there were moments when it felt like we were on the cusp of delving deeper into Oona’s story, only to be abruptly moved forward in time. I would have appreciated a more balanced approach in revealing the pivotal moments of her life.
Overall, I would rate “Oona Out of Order” with a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. I would recommend this novel to readers who appreciate stories that challenge the concept of time, while also indulging in music, the party scene, and character-driven narratives.
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