Jean Harley Was Here

Taylor Johnson’s novel (after Pursuing Love and Death) is a beautiful and moving look at the impact one person can have on others. At the outset, Jean Harley is hit and killed by a truck on her bicycle. Jean was a young, talented, and kind wife to Stan, mother to Orion, friend to Neddy and Viv, and daughter to Pearl and Marion. Set in southern Australia, Jean’s story is told through the memories of those who knew her best. These perspectives, including Philip’s—a former professor of hers she met in college and with whom she had a brief affair before reuniting with Stan—and her devoted and lovable dog Digger’s, offer a glimpse into a full life. Jean danced in a production staged by Neddy and Viv, and cared for others through homemade soups and weekly wine dates. Beyond the ties of family and friendship, Jean’s life and untimely death brings about deep changes reflected in the hearts and minds of those closet to her—Marion, her mother-in-law, starts a scholarship in Jean’s name; Viv gravitates towards Orion as a connection to Jean, giving him a mother figure to turn to. Taylor Johnson captures the difficulty of death in an accessible way, and treats the subject matter with extraordinary care. This ambitious attempt to fully depict a life so rich with feeling and joy is both sharp and elegantly crafted. [em](Oct.) [/em]