Wulf C. Krueger

A Feel-Good Road Trip Built on Unbelievable Shortcuts

“The Car Share” by Zoe Brisby tells a rather simple story: Alex, a young man in his mid-twenties, is depressed and heartbroken by a rejection that didn’t even happen, offers a car-share ride to Brussels. Maxine (“Max”), a ninety-year-old woman from a retirement home who believes she has Alzheimer’s, joins him to undergo euthanasia while she still has capacity whereas Alex is trying to escape his emotional pain. Their journey is full of adventures and turns into a transformative friendship.

Unfortunately, that promise is very sloppily executed: The “life-changing” trip consists of just two days. A recovery from diagnosed moderate depression in a mere two days is both belittling the illness and intrinsically questionable within the novel.

Max, on the other hand, was married to a psychologist, is very scientifically minded, but fails to actually get a diagnosis instead of relying on her own non-existent medical expertise. To make her decision to get euthanised depend on that, and to make her switch from seriously and decisively wanting to die to embrace a full, new life in the course of two days is hardly believable. It also completely misjudges Belgium’s law about assisted dying: Although a non-resident, non-citizen is not automatically barred by Belgian law, the notion that someone could simply make an appointment and have euthanasia carried out there and then is very unlikely, because the process requires repeated, well-considered requests, written documentation, independent medical consultations, and, in non-terminal situations, at least a one-month waiting period, typically alongside extensive evaluation.

During their trip to Brussels, press and police quickly but inexplicably jump to the conclusion that Alex abducted Max. This, and other small adventures, lead to many attempts at creating both humorous and life-affirming situations. Sadly, the humour falls very flat and the author conveys, almost forcefully yet shallowly, simple ideas that would have deserved a much more thorough and careful depiction.

»“Strictly speaking, a fear of flying isn’t a flaw. It’s very common.” “Are you afraid of planes, too?” Alex asked hopefully. “Goodness no, I’m not a chicken!”«

Worst of all, though, the story is completely unoriginal: In 2013, “The Universe Versus Alex Woods” by Gavin Extence was published. In it, yet another Alex, a young man with neurological issues (which also lead to mental health ones), becomes friends with elderly Mr Peterson, a reclusive Vietnam veteran and cannabis user, through their shared love of Kurt Vonnegut and philosophical conversation.

Central plotlines include Alex grappling with mortality, his relationships, his mental/neurological health, and a trip to a Swiss clinic because of Mr Peterson’s terminal diagnosis. Sounds familiar?

To me, it certainly did. Whereas “Alex Woods” sensitively and sensibly deals with its subjects and topics, giving them time to naturally grow while applying dry humour, philosophical musings, and quirkiness alongside serious issues, “Car Share” treats sadness with warmth and comedy, eccentric characters, and (very) light escapades.

“Car Share” is mostly comedic, whereas “Alex Woods” shines with humour and humanity. Thus, “Alex Woods” is a five-star read, versus a generous two stars for this one.

Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Strong start, shaky middle, and an ending that can’t make it whole

It started out so well: Effie is a policewoman. Having been born and raised in New Zealand (NZ) for her first 15 years, she’s now in her thirties, living in Scotland. Suddenly, back in NZ, a girl appears from out of the bushland. She looks just like Effie at that age. Of course, Effie feels she must go back and investigate.

This is basically what the first third of the novel focuses on. It’s interesting and gripping; Effie “feels” like a self-reliant, competent woman. The descriptions of NZ’s bushland were brilliant and the writing was perfectly fitting. The pacing was good and the story full of promise.

The second third deals with Effie’s investigation and discoveries in NZ, and that’s how the cookie crumbled for me: Effie, who did well in Scotland and whose instincts and experience from her earlier life in NZ came back to her, this Effie suddenly starts to look like a naive damsel in distress. Her childhood sweetheart, now himself a local policeman, whom Effie immediately falls for again after 17 years of absence and he falls for her, too, has to rescue her time and time again. The pacing starts to become rather uneven here - there’s one particularly long slog that should have been much shorter.

The final third introduces a third timeline following the two already established timelines (young Effie in NZ, today’s Effie in Scotland/NZ). It details a view of a closely related story which, to me, didn’t actually add much to the by now somewhat convoluted story. The endling, unfortunately, didn’t really help redeem this novel.

It’s really a shame; this novel held so much promise. Ultimately, though, it’s bogged down by clichéd devices (e.g., the motherly matron saving our heroine, the manly local hero, and similar tropes), uneven pacing, hard-to-believe plot elements, and other small flaws. For me, it fell far short of what it could have been.

Three stars out of five.