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I had a good cry after I finished “Here One Moment,” so touched by the wisdom and wonderfulness of Liane Moriarty’s new novel. I loved getting to know Cherry, the story’s precocious, precious protagonist, a silver-haired lady grieving the sudden death of her husband Ned. The intense and varied feelings Cherry experiences are overwhelming. But don’t count Cherry down and out—her indelible optimism, humor and empathy for others keeps her afloat and kicking at the absurdity and uncertainty of life.
We meet Cherry at the airport, along with others frustrated with a delayed flight from Hobart to Sydney, Australia. Abundant details about the waiting passengers are offered, as well as information on unassuming Cherry, who appears to be nothing out of the ordinary until she boards the plane. (Be patient with the details, which might seem tedious and unimportant but aren’t as you will come to understand later.)
Two hours after takeoff, Cherry suddenly stands up and begins making predictions, “…progressing down the plane as steady and efficiently as a conscientious crew member dispensing snacks.”
Pointing at one passenger after another, she dispenses her shocking statements: “I expect catastrophic stroke. Age seventy-two.” “I expect heart disease. Age eighty-four.” And to a toddler in his mother’s lap, “Drowning. Age seven.”
Subdued chaos ensues as the stunned people try to understand what on earth this lady is talking about. Among the passengers are the novel’s major players: Leo, an overworked civil engineer with a workaholic female boss; Sue, a middle-aged woman seated next to her husband; Allegra, the dark-haired stewardess in charge of the cabin; Paula, a 36-year-old mom plagued by OCD, now worse with news of her son’s drowning; Ethan, a young man whose best friend has just passed; and Eve and Dom, starry-eyed newlyweds with lots to learn.
While this might seem an inordinate number of characters to keep straight, never fear. Short chapters focus on one after another, laying bare how each is impacted by the news they’ve received from the “Death Lady.”
We also learn all about Cherry, from girlhood on, a fascinating individual whose life has been anything but easy—a baby boomer who has survived and grown in wisdom and hope, who has rolled with punches that threatened to level her and learned from her experiences.
It's Cherry, with her practical math mind who will steal readers’ hearts in “Here One Moment,” a beautiful story about happenstance, coincidence, free will, premonitions, probability, love and hope.
We’d all do well to walk Cherry’s walk: “…go to the doctor…do your health checks…don’t ignore symptoms…eat your vegetables…exercise…take your medication…stay on marked trails..wear your seatbelt…wear your sunscreen…check your blind spots…look both ways…check your brakes…download a dating app…go to that party..apply for that job…speak to that person…study has hard as you are able..invest sensibly.”
“You won’t necessarily win against fate, but you should at least put up a fight.”
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