Practical Jean

Finished November 19
Practical Jean by Trevor Cole
This story is well-written and has a unique plot, but somehow I just couldn't connect with it and had to force myself to finish it.
Jean makes a living creating unique ceramic pieces based on leaves. They are fragile and expensive and often don't work out for her. She is married to Milt, a substitute teacher at the high school level.
For the last few months, she has been giving care to her mother who has been dying from cancer. This experience, seeing her mother in pain and no longer enjoying life has affected her greatly. Death has always had an affect on her, leading her to creativity in her work. This time however, she has decided to be practical. Her mother always despaired of her developing a practical nature, and while it is too late for her mother, Jean decides that it is not too late to apply her newfound practicality to her friends.
Working on the premise of dark humour, this novel brings many issues of today's life to the fore.