Reading Adventures of a Curious Kat

This book has left me with a quandary.  While the writing is excellent and my Kindle highlights were plentiful, I’m left feeling conflicted about the overall message. Joy is an 89-year-old woman living a quiet, rules-abiding life in small-town Beacon, NY. Her best friend for the past 80 years is Hazel, a city-loving, free-spirited Brooklynite. Every day they greet each other with a text letting the other know they’re still alive and kicking. When Hazel informs Joy one day that she’s been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Joy is forced to confront the life she’s lived and examine what her future should look like.  Joy feels invisible - an issue many of us can experience as we get older. She’s always abided by the rules and shaped her behavior and persona to please others, as she was taught. Hazel, on the other hand, dresses flamboyantly, has always dyed her hair red and, as she tells Joy, made sure to “take up space”, even if it wasn’t being offered. How does “Good Joy" respond t...