Caught up in this World

I didn't plan this, but synchronicity no longer surprises me. As a fanatical reader, I am happiest when I have one book in hand and two more waiting on the dresser. A beta reader for my novel, The Cauliflower Ear Club, recommended the novel Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. At the same time, quite randomly, our librarian handed me the novel Spectacular Things by Deck Dorey-Stein.

Both these books explore the intense challenges athletes face, the emotional and physical toll of chasing success. They also illustrate the sacrifice their entire families make to pave their way. These stories resonate deeply with the themes in The Cauliflower Ear Club, where passion and pain intertwine in the pursuit of excellence.

All three stories are about different sports, tennis, soccer and wrestling, but they reveal a common truth: the path to greatness is rarely smooth. It involves enduring pain, overcoming setbacks, and making difficult choices. The physical scars, like cauliflower ears, become symbols of dedication and resilience.

The emotional struggles are just as significant. High level ahletes must balance their passion with the realities of aging, injury, and personal relationships. Interestingly all three novels show how athletes balance, however unevenly, the rivalry and comradeship among teammates and competitors. These stories offer a powerful look at what it means to commit fully to a passion that demands everything.

Beck Dorey-Stein’s Spectacular Things is about two sisters who examine what they owe each other and what they are willing to sacrifice from their own lives. Each sister has a role to fill: the responsible and academically minded Mia assumes the position of caregiver far too young, while Cricket, exploding with talent and the love of soccer, seems born for stardom. But the cost of achieving athletic greatness comes at a steep price for both sisters. Spectacular Things details the pain and frustration in Cricket's pursuit to join the Olympic soccer team.

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Carrie Soto is Back tells the story of Carrie Soto, a tennis legend who retired at the peak of her career only to return to the sport years later in order to keep her record. The novel dives into the fierce world of professional tennis, where every point is a battle and every match tests the limits of endurance. Carrie’s comeback is not just about reclaiming a title; it’s about confronting the physical and emotional scars left by years of competition, changing how she handles hard-hitting balls on and off the court.

Carrie’s journey highlights the sacrifices athletes make. She deals with injuries, aging, and the pressure of living up to her own legacy. Reid paints a realistic picture of what it means to push the body and mind, live with single-mindedness at the expense of loneliness and fear of failure.

These books remind the reader that it's not only the pain, sacrifice and resilience demanded for top level competition, but also passion and heart. I loved them.

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