Saving Ruth

Zoe Fishman's debut novel, Balancing Acts, read like a contractually obligated Women's Fiction in which a bunch of friends laugh, cry and bond. Her sophomore effort, Saving Ruth, feels more personal and is a much stronger effort. Although not purely autobiographical, the experience of a young Jewish woman in a Southern town is something Fishman shares with her protagonist Ruth, along with difficult issues about eating and weight. It's interesting to read a book about a brother-sister relationship, which isn't often explored. I wish some of the themes had been explored in more depth, but as it is Saving Ruth is a thoughtful, brief read that can be taken in over the course of a long afternoon by the pool.