NEW RELEASE
The Emergence of Judy Taylor - Angela Jackson (2013)
Judy thinks the worst when she finds a lump in her breast. But when she hears the word 'normal' as the doctor confirms her all-clear test results, rather than being relieved, she realises normal is the last thing she wants to be. So Judy makes plans to leave her music teaching job and her husband Oliver, to lead a more exciting existence in Edinburgh. Told in the third person, the viewpoint is mainly from Judy's perspective although occasionally another voice comes in, sometimes completely out of the blue. The wry observations are often spot on and her journey (some will call it inspiring and gutsy, others will call it plain foolish and selfish) is certainly not laced with sentimentality. While the theme of a woman being shocked into seeking a new beginning will resonate with many, this unfortunately did not emerge as a compelling read for me.
The Emergence of Judy Taylor, the debut novel by Angela Jackson, is a story about first loves and second chances. The summary says: "Judy Taylor married the first man who asked her. She lives in the neighbourhood where she spent her uneventful childhood. She still has the same friends she first met in primary school. But everything she once knew is about to be turned upside down. Judy might be ready to start a new life in vibrant Edinburgh, if she's prepared to accept what it means to change. First she has to ask herself if it's ever too late to make up for lost time."