Review: The Reluctant Fortune-Teller, Keziah Frost

The Reluctant Fortune-Teller is an unusual coming-of-age story about a 73-year-old accountant finally feeling visible after he learns to read people’s cards.

Norbert Zelenka is a retired accountant who has spent years fading into the background in every setting. When three strong-willed senior women realize he’s not making ends meet for himself and his pet chihuahua, Ivy, they come up with a plan.

They turn Norbert into their next project for their group called “Carlotta’s Club.” He becomes “Norbert Z,” the next hit fortune teller in their small town. He turns out to be pretty good at it, having spent the last 73 years doing more people-watching than interacting and reading Reader’s Digest every chance he gets.

I really enjoyed seeing Norbert grow into himself throughout The Reluctant Fortune Teller. From making new friends to gaining new confidence, it makes for a unique older coming-of-age story.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the character Carlotta in The Reluctant Fortune Teller. She’s painted as a busybody who wants to have control over everything in her life, which makes a great catalyst for the story, but she never changes. I think we were supposed to sympathize with her during the parts of the story from her point of view, but I couldn’t.

She lost her son and daughter-in-law, but she wanted to control everything and everyone in her life throughout The Reluctant Fortune Teller. Even at the end of the book, Carlotta and Norbert are still butting heads about how much control he should have over her and Summer.

Reading The Reluctant Fortune-Teller also felt like it was the third or fourth book in a series where you haven’t read the rest of the books. It made sense, for the most part, but it would have worked better if the other subplots had been expanded in other series.

There was one quote that I really loved, though. I think it really encapsulates Norbert’s philosophy in The Reluctant Fortune-Teller, and is something we can all learn from.

"You basically have two options. One — keep up this grudge against yourself and bring more negativity into the world, make yourself self physically or mentally and live a life of dark self-absorption. Or, option two — acknowledge that people do grow and change and do better. Let your apology be a life worth living."

You can read more about the Frost’s research process for her latest book on her website.

The Reluctant Fortune-Teller is available for purchase now at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and more.

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