How to Read a Book (2023) by Monica Wood follows the journey of three characters brought together through grief and trauma. In Violet, Frank, and Harriet’s converging paths, Wood explores The Effects of Incarceration, The Healing Power of Books, and the importance of Forgiveness of Self and Others. Wood is widely recognized for her 2016 novel The One-in-a-Million Boy, which won the 2017 Nautilus Book Award in Fiction. Wood’s other notable works include the memoir When We Were the Kennedys, which explores the impact of her father’s sudden death on her family, and the novel Any Bitter Thing, which explores themes of faith, family secrets, and forgiveness. Before becoming a novelist, Wood wrote short stories and published her first collection, Ernie’s Ark, in 2002. Wood’s writing has earned her several accolades, including the Pushcart and Maine Humanities Council Carlson prizes. She also engages in public speaking and teaching, sharing her insights on writing and the creative process.

The source material references the 2024 Harper Collins e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source material contains a brief mention of sexual assault and child abuse.  

Plot Summary

The story alternates between three perspectives: Violet, Frank, and Harriet. Twenty-two-year-old Violet is in prison serving a 28-month sentence for vehicular manslaughter. While driving to Portland, Maine, with her boyfriend, Troy, both Violet and Troy were drinking and using drugs. Troy made Violet drive, and she went on the wrong side of the road, causing an oncoming car to swerve into a tree, killing the driver, Lorraine Daigle.

In prison, Violet becomes close with other women, and they meet weekly with Harriet, a retired schoolteacher who volunteers to lead their Book Club. Nicknamed “Bookie” and “The Book Lady” by the women, Harriet enjoys her time with the women, and though it’s against the rules, she often shares about her life, including her late husband, Lou, her niece, Sophie, who lives with her, and her cat, Tabsy. Women are never shy about sharing their candid thoughts on books and prefer classics to contemporary novels as they find the plots and protagonists more relatable. Before each meeting, Harriet develops discussion questions that use the books to springboard into more philosophical topics, which gives the women a chance to share their feelings openly.

After his wife’s death, Frank Daigle struggles to find his purpose. A retired machinist and now widower, he feels lost and mired in guilt and grief. While Lorraine’s death devastates Frank’s daughter, Kristy, Frank feels something like relief as their marriage was on the brink of ending after Lorraine confessed to having an affair. Frank becomes friends with the young people who run the local bookshop, and they hire him to be their handyman. Frank enjoys the work, and though there are some generational gaps, he generally enjoys being a part of the youthful energy in the shop. One day, a lovely woman enters the shop looking for a new book for Book Club, and Frank bumps into her in the aisle, knocking Spoon River Anthology off the shelf. Frank is instantly attracted to Harriet, and she is grateful for the serendipitous way she found the perfect book.

Violet is released from prison early for good behavior. Her sister, Vicki, picks her up and gets her settled in an apartment in Portland but tells her she can’t return to Abbott Falls because her family and community can’t forgive what she did. Violet’s mother died from cancer while she was in prison, but she feels like she killed her mother with grief. Violet feels alone and frightened, but she gradually takes steps to start her life anew. While shopping for new clothes, Violet wanders into the local bookshop. She bumps into Harriet and is delighted to see her mentor outside of prison. When Frank sees Violet, he remembers her from the trial and lunges forward, compelled by his grief and trauma. Harriet walks the frightened Violet home and helps her calm down. Harriet invites Violet to her house for dinner, though Sophie is rude to Violet out of defensiveness for her aunt. Violet has been struggling to find a job since she has a criminal record, and Harriet suggests Violet take Sophie’s position as the lab assistant at the university since Sophie is resigning.

Violet gets the job assisting Dr. Petrov, a bird scientist, and quickly falls in love with the research subject, the African grey parrots. Soon, however, she also falls for Dr. Petrov, or Misha, though he is married. Violet immerses herself in the work and soon begins spending most of her time at the lab. Harriet continues meeting with Book Club and gives Violet a copy of the book so she can participate even though she is outside. Frank has machinist equipment in his garage, and he makes Harriet and Violet bookends to apologize for his behavior in the bookshop. Violet gratefully accepts the bookends along with Frank’s apology, though she feels guilty that he is apologizing to her when she is responsible for his wife’s death. The two form a bond, and both Harriet and Frank accompany Violet back to Abbott Falls so she can visit her mother’s grave. Vicki and Violet’s Aunt Pammy show up, and Violet stands up to their chastisement of her for returning home.

Violet and Misha’s relationship turns physical, and she falls for him. At the prison, the Book Club women give Harriet a hand-knitted bird as a gift, which is against the rules, but Harriet accepts it. When the prison administrator finds out, Harriet is removed from her position and asked not to return. Devastated, Harriet goes to Frank’s house for comfort. Later, when he walks her home, Harriet invites him inside, kisses him, and invites Frank into her bed. Misha’s wife shows up at the lab and discovers his affair, and Violet resigns and breaks off their relationship. On her way out of the lab, she takes her favorite bird, Ollie, which Misha often ignores because it fails to learn tasks.

Frank and Harriet drive Violet and Ollie to Harriet’s house for dinner. Dawna-Lynn, one of the Book Club women, has escaped and is in Harriet’s living room. Harriet promises not to call the police yet and instead feeds Dawna-Lynn a meal. Violet helps her take a shower. They will call the police after she rests. The narration returns to an older Violet looking back on her life and seeing this moment as a turning point. Violet lives a contented life as Frank and Harriet become her surrogate parents. She marries twice and has children and later dies at an old age with Dawna-Lynn, her child and grandchild, by her side.