Review: Down at the Golden Coin by Kim Strickland

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

How would your life change if you met your Messiah at the Laundromat?

During the horrible economic downturn, former airline pilot, Annie Mullard, feels she's sunk to a new low when she's forced to go to a run-down Laundromat, The Golden Coin, after her washing machine breaks, but it's here she meets a Messiah. Twenty-something, blue-haired Violet isn't anyone's idea of a Messiah and even though she can levitate Tide with Bleach Alternative, read minds and send Annie into past lives, Annie's still not entirely convinced. But when Violet deposits thousands of dollars into Annie's bank account, Annie doesn't care who she is; she's thrilled. At least her money troubles are over.

 It doesn't take long before Violet has Annie's quiet morning at the Laundromat spinning as out of control as the rest of her life, forcing her to question everything she's ever held important and in turn, Annie becomes more desperate for change. As they spar over the idea we each have the power to create our own realities, Annie begins to see money is not the key to happiness she'd thought it was.

Review:

When I first heard about Down at the Golden Coin by Kim Strickland, I was instantly intrigued by the premise. I don't see much about Messiahs in books, and I was curious to see how Kim would work the idea into a book. Unfortunately, while the idea was great, I wasn't the biggest fan of the overall execution.

Down at the Golden Coin picks up the story of Annie, a middle-aged woman who hasn't been having the best of luck lately. It all started when she lost her job as an airline pilot and then everything else in her life started to slowly crumble as well...her marriage, her relationship with her children, and her finical security. Therefore, when her washing machine breaks one day, it is the last straw for her. She can't take it any more, but she doesn't know how to fix it. Enter Violet, a so called messiah who claims to have been sent to help Annie find her way again. In the course of a few hours, Annie makes some major decisions, ones that may or may not make everything better again.

My first problem with this book was the main character. I wasn't all that fond of Annie to tell the truth. I had a hard time relating to her and her goals. I think it mostly had to do with the huge age gap between us. However, I also found it hard to be sympathetic towards her story, because as the story unraveled Annie is shown in some unflattering light, and at some points, I wondered if some of the horribleness in her life was caused by her own hand. I did enjoy the addition of Violet, though. She was magical and mystical and I loved finding out more about her. I especially enjoyed how she told Annie how it was and how she had to fix it. The addition of the father/son duo was also a cute little add-on.

As mentioned above, the premise of this was what originally made me want to read Down at the Golden Coin. However, throughout the novel, I had a few problems with it. For one, I felt that Kim drew it out a little too long at some points, and really didn't introduce anything new to the idea. It was basically a story about money not being anything and embracing yourself for what you are, and while that's fine and all, I was just wasn't wowed by anything particular. I think it mostly had to do with my lack of connection with Annie. The ending was also a little rushed for my liking. I would've liked a more clear conclusion.

In all, Down at the Golden Coin wasn't my cup of tea, because I had the hardest of times connecting to the main character. However, I do suggest fans of adult fiction, particularly ones going through similar problems as Annie's, give it a try. Many others have enjoyed it....just not me sadly enough.

Grade: C

Down at the Golden Coin (Amazon, Goodreads) is now out! You can read chapter 1 here.

Source: Author for blog tour- thanks Kim!

To check out past as well as future stops on the blog tour, click HERE.