If you could see me now (Cecelia Ahern)

“The more you try to simplify things the more you complicate them. You create rules, build walls, push people away, lie to yourself and ignore true feelings. That is not simplifying things.”
― Cecelia Ahern, If You Could See Me Now

Some people aren't into the whimsical. They like to stay grounded in reality and they like to know that what they're reading is concrete and is a variance on what their own life is like- or maybe someone they'd wish their life was like or maybe glad that it's not like what they're reading.... I'm doing it again- going off.
Anyway, I am somewhat like that. I don't gravitate toward the magical or the surreal or anything that would land in the world of make believe.
But that was me. Putting myself into a box. And duct taping it up. And now everything is neat and in order and simple.

Wrong.

When I pigeon hole myself into one genre intead of making it uncomplicated I make it downright awful. I limit myself and then get stuck in these self-put parameters that I have tricked myself into thinking they're real and I better abide.

Elizabeth, our protagonist is like that. She's obsessively clean and orderly and in her early 30's and has locked herself into her routine and has everything in its place. She also has her family stuff, you know..issues etc, that leads her to have custody of her nephew due to her sister being a drunk who would rather run around town (this takes place in Ireland) than be a mum to her son.

And Elizabeths nephew, Luke, age 6, has an imaginary friend. And this imaginary friend, Ivan is something that Elizabeth has dismissed (like most people) as something to be rid of or ignored to hope that it just passes.
But then not knowing that Ivan is Lukes "IF" she starts seeing him too. Is he real? What's the deal with imaginary friends and why are folks so "tisk tisk" about them?
The concept currently is states as being a phase for kids to help them develope their imaginations and helps them play and feel engaged with another being etc.
But what happens if that 'figment' becomes flesh?

Elizabeth thinks that Ivan is the father of one of Luke's friends, I'll leave it at that. But what is really engaging in this book is that yes it's probably in the 'chick lit' category but it dives into deeper issues that are of the everyday "real" variety such as family dynamics and making changes in your life to help you be more content. It also showed that there aren't all happy endings in fairy tales but that doesn't mean that it's not uplifting and our protagonist does go through changes. Just not of the 180 degree variety.

I read this book in 2 sittings which is good for me since I make my decision everyday (or almost) to not watch tv and I also get up extra early to get my fix. If you'd like this book and can't find it at the library let me know. I'll keep my copy in the back. It's a light(er) read but engaging and it goes quick. I love Cecelia Ahern and appreciated her bit of magic on this woman who needs to get a bit of her inner child, out.