We Spread

Penny has lived alone for a long time but after a recent fall, Mike, her landlord brings her to Six Cedars, a long-term care facility. It has all been arranged her informs her by her former partner to make things easier for her once she can no longer live alone.

At first, she is happy here. She is eating and sleeping well, something she did not do when she lived alone. She is making friends and enjoying human contact.

Then things begin to not seem so copacetic to her. Things are off. She is told she has been there for some time, but she knows she has only been there for 4 days. Penny can’t quite understand what is happening, she is uneasy and suspicious.

Like Penny, readers will be left unsettled wondering what is going on. Residents are encouraged to eat, sleep, keep busy and be productive. Living a long life is important is stressed.

Is what Penny is experiencing the result of aging? Is there something sinister happening at the home?

I enjoyed how the book touched on loneliness, aging, the need for human connection, cognitive decline, memory, and death. As I mentioned, there is a sense of wariness, unease, and tension in the book. Reid masterfully set the stage in We Spread. Beautifully written and thought provoking.

This would make a great book club selection.

Thank you to Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.