The Cactus

This was a nice, light read and read quickly. Susan is uptight and likes things done her way, which is obviously the correct way. I enjoy a main character who would probably irritate me in real life but is funny and entertaining on paper. Susan's perfect life is upended when she finds out she is pregnant which is not in her life plan. As we follow Susan through her nine months of pregnancy we see her and her extended family experience loss while gaining new appreciation and love for one another and for themselves.

Overall I enjoyed this book. My one issue is that at the 75% mark I felt the tone of the book took a sharp turn. The ending felt rushed to me and slightly forced. It was still a good ending but the delivery could have been show more smoother. I think Rob was my favorite character. He felt the most authentic to me and I loved his passion around landscaping. I was actually craving more dialogue on this. show less

4.5 stars.

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood is a wonderful character-driven novel that is both humorous and poignant.

Forty-five year old Susan Green's unexpected pregnancy is not the only thing turning her well-ordered life upside down. The recent death of her mother is upsetting but it is the reading of the will that really infuriates Susan. After learning their mom left the family home to her drunken, unemployed brother Edward, Susan blocks probate as she tries to prove that Edward unduly influenced their mom into leaving him the house. In order to prove her theory, she befriends Edward's mate Rob Rhys in an effort to uncover the truth. With both her due date and the hearing looming ever closer, Susan begins to realize that control is an show more illusion and vulnerability is not necessarily a bad thing.

Susan is not exactly a warm and inviting person and she does not believe in sugarcoating the truth. She does not suffer fools gladly nor is she overly tactful in her business or personal relationships. She has a very pragmatic, logical and unemotional approach to all aspects of her life and she is fairly rigid in her beliefs. Her dysfunctional, unhappy childhood is at the root of her rigid and controlling behavior and honestly, the more Susan reveals about her unhappy past, the easier it is to empathize with her need to micromanage her environment and dispassionately analyze every situation.

Susan's viewpoints on motherhood are unexpectedly funny (and obviously somewhat ill-formed) and she is quite uncomfortable with letting people into her personal space. She gradually forms friendships with people who accept her as she is although they do smooth over some of her rougher edges. It is easy to recognize that Susan's standoffish persona is designed to protect her from being hurt by anyone. After learning about her horrible childhood, it is completely understandable that Susan would do everything possible to shield herself from further pain.

The Cactus is an absolute gem that is chock full of witty observations, pithy interactions and a lead protagonist who is impossible not to root for. Susan is a prickly character who undergoes spectacular growth while still retaining the unique qualities that are a reaction to her life experiences. The secondary characters are very endearing with the exception of Edward whom readers will most likely want to throttle every time he appears. Late in the novel, Sarah Haywood throws in a shocking plot twist that forces Susan to re-examine and reassess much of her life both past and present. The novel's conclusion is incredibly satisfying and ultimately, quite healing. show less

Susan is definitely prickly. She keeps everyone at a very measured distance and has convinced herself that it is what is best for herself. She soon learns that at some point you are not going to be able to isolate yourself anymore and asking for help is no longer a choice.

The fall-out from her mother's death leaves her and her traumatic childhood exposed - and it seems she realizes that the "sensible" walls she's built around herself and only preventing her form seeing the truth about those around her and herself. However at times her prickly nature was so exaggerated that I had a hard time believe that she would have such a rapid change of heart and be so willing to change so quickly. I would have liked more internal dialogue and show more struggle on that front, to see her really wrestle with giving up her solitude and independence. show less

Although I barely liked the main character, I enjoyed the story. I listened to it on audiobook and it was well done. If the author writes more books and makes her characters more likeable, I will definitely read them.

‘The Cactus’ by Sarah Haywood is about a quirky, socially awkward, unmarried woman in her early 40’s who likes living a regimented life devoid of social ties, which would make her vulnerable to disappointment and hurt. Susan Green is like a cactus, as her prickly character protects her from any kind of vulnerability or desire for romance. But Susan is now single and pregnant, and she is undergoing a legal battle with her brother Edward over her recently deceased mother’s estate. Susan’s life is getting out of control, and her present condition promotes some unexpected friendships, which will catapult her life into riskier situations and inevitable change. Although I enjoyed this story, it didn’t seem to progress as quickly show more at times, and I, therefore, gave it 3 stars, instead of 4. All in all, I thought ‘The Cactus’ was a redeeming story about the transformation of a quirky, methodical woman, whose life becomes elevated through the unplanned events that are tossed her way. show less

The digested review is, it's a lot like A Man Named Ove except (for me at least) not quite so effective at being charming. Susan's mother has died, and she has to handle the funeral with her brother: they don't get on. She is a bit of an odd bod, with very determined Views, but determined that she is happy with her (largely) solitary life. However, a Big Change is about to happen, heralded by nausea. Nausea in the mornings.
Some very funny lines.
"The women all looked youthful and radiant, glowing with the delight of appropriately timed procreation. I was at a loss to see what these instinctive breeders had in common with me; I felt like someone attempting to infiltradte a fundamentalist group with a less-than-believable cover story."

I wish that people would stop comparing every book with an even remotely difficult or socially challenged main character to Eleanor Oliphant. IMHO, that's a poor comparison. Don from the Rosie series *might* be a better comparison. But why compare? Haywood does better than most at revealing Susan's rationale for her decisions. Still, I would have liked to have read *even more* of that.