Jean Harley Was Here

November 5, 2018
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.

September 1, 2018
Vibrant, energetic Jean Harley charmed classmates, teachers, friends, and lovers with her easy smile and boundless enthusiasm. It was easy to love Jean because she gave so much love to the world?which is why it's so hard for her friends and family to confront the world without her. After Jean is hit by a truck while riding her bike, her loved ones (and the driver who hit her) begin to grieve in vastly different ways. They relive their memories of Jean, from infancy to her last moments alive, with raw pain, tenderness, and love. Johnson (Pursuing Love and Death, 2013) weaves characters' memories together by playing with timelines and viewpoints, thus granting a fuller picture of Jean's life. Sure to be popular among fans of Liane Moriarty and Sarah Pekkanen, this tender, witty novel dives into the life of an amazing woman by exploring the grief of those she's left behind. Johnson's ability to bring the diverse voices and viewpoints of the supporting characters to life is admirable, especially in a novel of this size.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)