2019 Dec 13
Twenty-five year old Lacey Whitman is blindsided when she’s diagnosed with the BCRA1 gene mutation: the “breast cancer gene”. Her high hereditary risk forces a decision: increased surveillance or the more radical step of a preventative double mastectomy. Lacey doesn’t want to lose her breasts. For one, she’s juggling two career paths; her work with the prestigious New York trend forecaster Hoffman House, and her role on the founding team of a sustainable fashion app with friend/mentor, Vivian Chang.
Secondly, Lacey’s not so in touch with her sexuality: she doesn’t want to sacrifice her breasts before she’s had the chance to give them their hey-day. To help her make her choice, she (and her friends) creates a “boob bucket list”: everything she wants to do with and for her boobs before a possible surgery.
Author, performer and screenwriter all in one, Georgia Clarke is well-known for her comedic relief in the field of writing. As with her previous work, ‘The Regulars’, Clarke also allows readers to commemorate woman empowerment and covers some hefty areas regarding the issue- for example, as you’ll find in ‘The Bucket List’, she sees and proudly showcases a woman’s sexuality to not act as an identity, but as a celebration.
The Bucket List takes readers on a wild yet sentimental ride on what it means to play the big game of Life. Lacey’s been dealt a bad hand- she has a large possibility of being diagnosed with breast cancer and this uncertainty makes her confront quite a few question marks in her life- from her sexuality to her self-worth and future career choices.
This novel is definitely a light read in disguise. We join Lacey as she embarks on her wild, intimate adventures and learns more about accepting herself but it’s worth noting that the author doesn’t create a perfect world- she creates flawed humans with frustrating habits and endearing personalities all the while tackling a terrifying subject for women all across the world- breast cancer (but does so with some quips in hand).
Witty, romantic and adventurous but above all else, a heart-tugging read, this novel is perfect for avid fans of chick lit!
Rating- 4/5
