The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale by Virginia Kantra

Being gifted Once Upon a Book Club for Christmas this was the first book read with this subscription. The review was delayed a few days to ensure that the bias of the gifts along with the book did not influence the write up. Inspired by the Wizard of Oz is the best way to describe it, as there are Dee leaves Kansas to escape heartbreak and finds a cast of characters that have fragments of the Wizard of Oz characters, but also so much more. The story kept the reader engaged and interested to see what happens to Dee as she leaves the old her behind and gains confidence in herself, realizes it is OK to let her sister fail or succeed on her own, that her Aunt showed love, and starts to know what she wants. Tim repaying the favor and being Dee’s wingman when she confronts Gray, is the best scene in the book as Tim comes to whisk her away to avoid repercussions after Dee tell Gray what she really thinks of him and dumps oysters on his lap after he gives her a room key and assumes she would wait in his room for him while he attended a book signing. This book was hard to put down and leaves the reader satisfied. A coming of age and rom-com kind of rolled into one with neither overpowering the story so much that it could not be enjoyed by all readers.

Character List/Book Summary:

Dorothy “Dee” Gale – flees Kansas to Dublin, Ireland to prove she was not the flake and manipulator that Gray wrote her as in his book, 26 years old, mother, Judy, died when she was young. Through her friendships with Reeti, Sam, Tim, Fiadh, and even guidance by Meave and Glenda she starts to figure out what she wants in life and in her writing. Starts to realize who she really is during the year in Dublin and gains courage in herself.

Toni – Dee’s younger sister, starting at University of Kansas but is not happy there. Surprises Dee at Christmas when she flies to Dublin instead of going back to the farm to see Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. Through guidance from Reeti and Fiadh she starts to become herself and create a plan for what happens after her 90 day stay is over. Tells Dee she doesn’t remember their mother or their time in New York City with her, and maybe staying with her mother’s friends she will learn more about her mom as she starts to express herself as an artist.

Uncle Henry – Judy’s brother

Aunt Em – married to Henry, Dee thinks she and Henry did not want her and Toni when their mother died. Was always there for Dee and tells Dee that Toni will be OK in New York City and failing is OK. Besides Toni knows that Dee, Em, and Henry are always there for her if she needs to come home. This helps Dee realize that the farm was and is home for her, but that doesn’t means she will stay there forever.

Sam Clery – works at the coffee/tea shop near campus, started working there and left school when his father died. 28 years old does not think that he is smart or that Meave is as mean as everyone says she is, because she was the only professor to come to his father’s funeral. Calls Dee “Boots” and applies to Trinity after an argument with her.

Tim Woodman – 30 years old, army veteran who was hurt in action and saved by Charles. Regulatory consultant who works in the family business, is his parent’s only child and does not let them know the real reason he ended his engagement to Laura. Lives downstairs from Reeti (and eventually Dee and Toni). Feels responsible for Charles, so he keeps saving him. Starts a relationship with Dee, but they mess it up sort of and he figures out how to fix it. Meets Dee when she comes over and saves him from Laura getting too handsy at the hotel bar. Coaches football (or soccer in America). Dee and Tim watch cooking shows together.

Reeti Kaur – knows Tim, switches out of the English department to accounting because of her family’s expectations. Befriends Dee and teaches her that always being useful, staying out of the way and being quiet is not what she needs to be as a friend, she just needs her to be herself. Warns Dee that Meave Ward has a reputation for being a witch. Offer Dee a place to stay, and demands she and Toni stay with her once Glenda kicks her out. Finds a great guy over Christmas, and takes Dee’s advice to tell him her dream about teaching young women instead of working for her father’s restaurants. A misunderstanding creates friction between them, but they make up and Dee is looking forward to going back to Dublin for their wedding.

Fiadh Clery – Sam’s younger sister who keeps trying to push him to go back to school, the shop does not need him to run anymore. Bakes bread that is sold at the shop. Also thinks Sam should expand the business. Takes Toni under her wing a bit and has her help bake bread while Toni is in the area.

Janette – Sam and Fiadh’s mom who invites Dee and Toni over for Christmas and pushes her son to go back to school instead of staying at the shop his father started.

Glenda Norton – upon arriving at Trinity tells Dee that her advisor died when a mobile house fell on her when she was biking to work. When Dee offers to help with her twins, Dee offers her a job and place to stay while Dee is in the program. Fires Dee and kicks her out when Toni surprises her at Christmas and Dee says she will not go on the family vacation because her sister flew here. Dee is worried that Glenda will hurt her efforts in the program, but is assured by Glenda that the job and the program are separate and do not impact each other.

Laura Smith – tells Dee that Tim doesn’t have a heart and is a robot. Calls Tim for help when Charles is drunk and shows up outside her house late one night. Wanted to marry Tim, because he checked the right boxes before he was hurt.

Meave War – Assistant professor that wants advise Dee. Suggests to Dee that she not take Oliver’s job, because Dee said she wanted to write for herself, and if she took Oliver’s job she would be writing in his voice and and for him and it would be hard to write in her own voice and her own story.

Grayson Kettering – adjunct at University of Kansas, who wrote a book and based a character on Dee, had a 2 year relationship with Dee where he used her a bit. Dee realizes he is an arse when he surprises her in Dublin and does not listen to her wishes and ends up with oysters on his lap as a result.

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