Book Review: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

“It’s time, she knows, to imagine the things she can do.”

Alison Espach, The Wedding People

Review:

I didn’t pay too much attention to this book when it was first published. I’m not one who gravitates toward wedding stories and, for whatever reason, I thought this was a murder mystery, and I had already read a book with this presumed premise I envisioned. When it was chosen as a group read and it coincided with Book of the Month’s Book of the Year release, I figured I’d give it a shot. Obviously, I quickly realized that this was not a murder mystery. I was so pleased that this was a blend of literary fiction and humor. 

The final years of Pheobe and Matt’s marriage were rocky, even though Pheobe didn’t fully realize it until it was too late. Paired with the pandemic and lockdown, Phoebe is thrust into a deep depression. No longer caring about her carefully cultivated life, Pheobe runs off to Newport, RI for the splurge of a lifetime. There, she stumbles into a wedding party, where she is mistaken for a guest. 

To her initial annoyance, Pheobe is bombarded by attention, including the bride who has no issues sharing what’s on her mind and barging into a stranger’s room and demanding her wants. Try as she might to fight it, Pheobe and the bride, Lila, form a connection. With nothing more to lose, Phoebe decides it’s time to stop conforming to everyone’s wishes and start living. 

The plot of this book is nuanced and fluid, so it’s difficult to discuss it without tumbling into the realm of spoilers. What I can say is that it’s a beautiful work that explores a diverse range of personalities while also tackling difficult topics. I implore readers to look up the content warnings if needed. I loved the setting as well as the dynamics between the web of characters. I wouldn’t necessarily categorize this as a romance, however. It’s there in the background, but not at all the main focus. 

If not for some cruder moments, this book would have been an easy five stars for me. There were parts I felt were there only to add crassness and, for me, came across as skeevy. This, along with some jokes of poor taste toward religion as well as a couple of questionable statements regarding mental health, I couldn’t fully embrace it. However, I undoubtedly had a profound reading experience. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The exploration of different personalities, particularly through their interactions with one another.
• The somewhat ambiguous ending. It managed to feel complete, yet open.
• The character growth.
• Different portrayals of grief.

What I didn’t like:

• Crude moments that added nothing to the story and were over the top.
• Dropped plot points. We learn about a few characters and their stories, but then never hear about them again.
• Insensitive jokes about religion. (It felt like they were made out of ignorance rather than malice, but it was still not right.)
• There were a couple of potentially damaging comments made regarding mental health issues, particularly depression.

Afterthoughts:

Though I do have strong complaints, I really couldn’t rate it any lower based on my reading experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of the book.

Where to buy the book: