Geraldine Brooks is a prolific writer of historical fiction. She won the Pulitzer Prize for "March," the story of the father in Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." I have read a number of her books and find that they are all historically accurate and well-researched. To this she adds an interesting story making them irresistible reading. Her most recent book is "The Secret Chord," a story about King David which has received mixed reviews.
"Caleb's Crossing" is set in the 1660s on the island of Martha's Vineyard (where the author has her home) and in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on the mainland. As is her wont, the author has chosen to write a story based on real characters who existed in the Puritan era of the English settlement of the American colonies.
We meet Bethia Mayfield through her diaries; she is now an old woman, near death, who has a story to tell us. Bethia was a young Puritan maid whose father left the Mass Bay Colony of John Winthrop to found a settlement on Martha's Vineyard. There he set out to convert the local tribe of Wampanoag Indians to Christianity. Bethia's mother dies, as many women did at that time, in childbirth. Not only was childbirth precarious, but life for everyone was hard, short, and dangerous. Children succumbed to disease, the cold, and starvation. Bethia was eventually left with only her father and one brother, Makepeace, who was a dour sort of fellow, finding little joy in life. In contrast Bethia is full of life and curiosity, and it is this curiosity which leads her to befriend a young Indian boy. She struggles with the guilt of being fascinated by the culture and ceremonies of the natives which her strict Calvinistic upbringing has taught her is sinful. Bethia and the Indian boy who later takes the Christian name, Caleb, form a strong and everlasting bond. Both characters suffer internal conflicts trying to bridge the gap between their two strong cultural backgrounds.
Bethia being a strong and healthy young woman is destined for marriage while her brother, not nearly as bright as Bethia, is assured a place at Harvard with a future in the ministry. While stiff as a board, Makepeace is not an unsympathetic character. He too struggles against his destiny. Caleb (based on a real historical person, the first Native American to matriculate from Harvard) having been converted by the Reverend Mayfield, excels in his studies and joins Mayfield at the College. The story progresses in Cambridge and we see the boys and learn of their studies through the eyes of Bethia who becomes a servant in their boarding house after the death of her father.
Throughout the book, Brooks uses authentic settings and language. She does an admirable job of making her characters real people who suffered and lived out their destinies, even as they fought against the paths laid out for them. The story is full of quiet suspense and sadness like that which Caleb sees for the future of his people.
I highly recommend this book to all readers as a realistic portrayal of the hardships of life in colonial New England, yet also a story of bravery and strength of character in the face of ignorance and harsh living conditions.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
THE POPE AND MUSSOLINIby David I. Kertzer
David Kertzer won the Pulitzer Prize for this vastly informative and groundbreaking book. I remember going to school as a child and seeing a picture of Pius XII on the wall in every classroom. Little did we know what scheming and nefarious actions this man was responsible for during the time leading up to the Second World War. Yet, even today when newly opened archives point to the truth, people are still in denial about the role of the Popes and the Church in the betrayal of the Jewish Italian population. We grew up with the notion that the Catholic Church leaders were enemies of Mussolini and fought bravely against Fascism. What really happened is recounted in Kertzer's fascinating and well-written history, the subtitle of which is: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe. It is the story of two men who came to power in Italy in the same year, 1922, and though they met only once, they ruled together for 17 years, largely through a series of go-between emissaries, most notably an unpleasant Jesuit named Tacci Venturi and Cardinal Pacelli who became Pius XII upon the death of Acille Ratti who was Pius XI.
The Vatican and Mussolini had many differences, but antisemitism was not one of them. The Church used it as a way to advance the faith; Mussolini used it to garner praise and respect from Hitler. This was odd because the Duce was originally Hitler's role model. While the Church did not actively campaign against the Italian Jews, it did turn a blind eye to both Hitler's and the Duce's increasing racial discrimination, in some cases facilitating it through editorials in the Catholic press. Though Ratti and Mussolini were frequently angry and frustrated with each other, they had more in common than not. Both were feared by their underlings, and both ruled absolutely, often displaying temper tantrums when they faced opposition. Both the Vatican and Rome were riddled with corruption which extended down the ranks of each organization.
The crowning achievement of cooperation between the two men was the passing of the Lateran Accords in 1929 which returned power to the Church which had been lost in 1870 when Italy became a a Kingdom. Once again Catholicism became the state religion. In return, the Duce received the support of the Vatican for his programs and most importantly when he invaded Abyssinia and claimed territory which gave him a base in Africa. The Catholic clergy in Italy willingly added to the cult of Mussolini mixing up Fascist and Catholic ritual, legitimizing the thugs the Duce set upon the Jewish population.
Eventually Pius XI saw the handwriting on the wall, but it was too late. He was on his deathbed and had abrogated power to Cardinal Pacelli who pandered to both Hitler and Mussolini, even going so far as to change the wording of the Pope's final speeches. After the death of Mussolini, Pacelli as Pius XII destroyed many incriminating paper and documents and initiated a cover-up that had lasted into the 21st century when the archives were finally opened on this shameful period in the history of the Catholic Church.
There is so much valuable material in this book, which took Kertzer seven years to write, that the reader must judge for him/herself. I highly recommend it to all readers. It would be an excellent book for reading groups; no doubt, it would spark discussion and in some cases disagreement. "The Pope and Mussolini" is a valuable read which deserved the Puilitzer Prize. It was also listed as one of the 10 best books of the NY Times for 2014.
The Vatican and Mussolini had many differences, but antisemitism was not one of them. The Church used it as a way to advance the faith; Mussolini used it to garner praise and respect from Hitler. This was odd because the Duce was originally Hitler's role model. While the Church did not actively campaign against the Italian Jews, it did turn a blind eye to both Hitler's and the Duce's increasing racial discrimination, in some cases facilitating it through editorials in the Catholic press. Though Ratti and Mussolini were frequently angry and frustrated with each other, they had more in common than not. Both were feared by their underlings, and both ruled absolutely, often displaying temper tantrums when they faced opposition. Both the Vatican and Rome were riddled with corruption which extended down the ranks of each organization.
The crowning achievement of cooperation between the two men was the passing of the Lateran Accords in 1929 which returned power to the Church which had been lost in 1870 when Italy became a a Kingdom. Once again Catholicism became the state religion. In return, the Duce received the support of the Vatican for his programs and most importantly when he invaded Abyssinia and claimed territory which gave him a base in Africa. The Catholic clergy in Italy willingly added to the cult of Mussolini mixing up Fascist and Catholic ritual, legitimizing the thugs the Duce set upon the Jewish population.
Eventually Pius XI saw the handwriting on the wall, but it was too late. He was on his deathbed and had abrogated power to Cardinal Pacelli who pandered to both Hitler and Mussolini, even going so far as to change the wording of the Pope's final speeches. After the death of Mussolini, Pacelli as Pius XII destroyed many incriminating paper and documents and initiated a cover-up that had lasted into the 21st century when the archives were finally opened on this shameful period in the history of the Catholic Church.
There is so much valuable material in this book, which took Kertzer seven years to write, that the reader must judge for him/herself. I highly recommend it to all readers. It would be an excellent book for reading groups; no doubt, it would spark discussion and in some cases disagreement. "The Pope and Mussolini" is a valuable read which deserved the Puilitzer Prize. It was also listed as one of the 10 best books of the NY Times for 2014.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
A GATE AT THE STAIRS by Lorrie Moore
Lorrie Moore is one of the best of the contemporary American writers. "A Gate at the Stairs" was chosen as on of the NY Times best books in 2014 and was also in contention for the Orange Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award. By the time I had finished this book, I loved it and its main character.
Tassie Keltjin, a farm girl from the middle America, is possessed with a keen mind and sharp wit. Her social graces aren't always on display; she is too honest for that. Tassie's parents are sort of ex-hippies from out East. They grow boutique potatoes that are in high demand by the artisanal restaurants which are springing up everywhere. Tassie attends the local University in Troy which is the nearest town to their farm. Somewhat naive, Tassie is just learning how to read people, and she makes mistakes along the way. As the fall semester gets underway, Tassie's life becomes entwined with two people who have a profound effect on her growth and understanding. She falls in love with Reynaldo, a Brazilian boy (or is he ???) she meets at school. The more profound relationship is with Sarah Brink, who turns out to have a dark past that we don't find out until the climax of the book.
Tassie finds a job as a nanny with the Brinks, a couple about to adopt a mixed-race child. Even when the reader is first introduced to the Brinks, there is a sense of foreboding around them and a certain weirdness in their manner.
Sarah Brink runs a boutique restaurant which serves up all kinds of pretentious dishes. Naturally she serves the organic potatoes from the Keltjin farm. It is the fall of 2001 and the destruction of the World Trade Center intrudes on the lives of our small town characters in ways they could not anticipate. Before long the reader intuits that under the placid everyday life of our characters lurks secrets: racism, fear, and pretense. Countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, which once seemed so far away, affect Tassie and her family when her brother, Robert, joins the army. Tassie becomes very close to the child, Emmie, entrusted to her care as the Brinks are too busy to give her much attention.
As Tassie's awareness and wariness grows, so grows the reader's.
Moore writes gorgeous descriptions full of apt metaphors and similes. Her character, Tassie, sees with honest eyes and exposes pretensions with humor. The sometimes loneliness of a college student living alone is spot on. The scenes which take place on the farm are grounded and real. Tassie's relationship with her brother and what isn't said between them is heartbreaking. Finally, Tassie's relationships with her family, Emmie and the Brinks, as well as Reynaldo, teach her about the tenuousness of life and reality hiding in plain sight.
I highly recommend this book to all readers for its insight, humor and good writing.
Tassie Keltjin, a farm girl from the middle America, is possessed with a keen mind and sharp wit. Her social graces aren't always on display; she is too honest for that. Tassie's parents are sort of ex-hippies from out East. They grow boutique potatoes that are in high demand by the artisanal restaurants which are springing up everywhere. Tassie attends the local University in Troy which is the nearest town to their farm. Somewhat naive, Tassie is just learning how to read people, and she makes mistakes along the way. As the fall semester gets underway, Tassie's life becomes entwined with two people who have a profound effect on her growth and understanding. She falls in love with Reynaldo, a Brazilian boy (or is he ???) she meets at school. The more profound relationship is with Sarah Brink, who turns out to have a dark past that we don't find out until the climax of the book.
Tassie finds a job as a nanny with the Brinks, a couple about to adopt a mixed-race child. Even when the reader is first introduced to the Brinks, there is a sense of foreboding around them and a certain weirdness in their manner.
Sarah Brink runs a boutique restaurant which serves up all kinds of pretentious dishes. Naturally she serves the organic potatoes from the Keltjin farm. It is the fall of 2001 and the destruction of the World Trade Center intrudes on the lives of our small town characters in ways they could not anticipate. Before long the reader intuits that under the placid everyday life of our characters lurks secrets: racism, fear, and pretense. Countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, which once seemed so far away, affect Tassie and her family when her brother, Robert, joins the army. Tassie becomes very close to the child, Emmie, entrusted to her care as the Brinks are too busy to give her much attention.
As Tassie's awareness and wariness grows, so grows the reader's.
Moore writes gorgeous descriptions full of apt metaphors and similes. Her character, Tassie, sees with honest eyes and exposes pretensions with humor. The sometimes loneliness of a college student living alone is spot on. The scenes which take place on the farm are grounded and real. Tassie's relationship with her brother and what isn't said between them is heartbreaking. Finally, Tassie's relationships with her family, Emmie and the Brinks, as well as Reynaldo, teach her about the tenuousness of life and reality hiding in plain sight.
I highly recommend this book to all readers for its insight, humor and good writing.
Monday, November 30, 2015
MINARET by Leila Aboulela (fic)
I enjoyed reading this beautifully constructed and lyrical novel by Leila Aboulela. It isn't often that I have read a fiction work that helps one understand the cultural difficulties encountered by a young Sudanese girl. Najwa is forced to move to London when her father's corruption is exposed in Khartoum where he was a government official. The story doesn't dwell on the differences between Najwa and the English, as much as it does between Najwa and other Sudanese ex pats she encounters in London.
In 1984 Najwa and her family lived in a large home with many servants; they had an opulent life in Khartoum. They also maintained an expensive apartment in London. Najwa didn't think much about her countrymen who lived in poverty. Her family were not religious, lived a western life-style, and traveled to Europe frequently. She took much for granted including her University education. She largely ignored the fundamentalist factions at school as she dressed in latest fashion and cultivated other wealthy friends. Najwa's brother, Omar, ran around with a fast crowd and early on was addicted to drugs.
At school, Najwa falls in love with Anwar, a radical socialist and student leader. She admired his cool demeanor and agreed with his criticism of religious traditions and clothing like the hijab. She even ignored his attacks on her father until a coup forces the family to flee when her father was jailed and executed.
At first things remained much the same for Najwa and her family in London. But, after her mother dies everything changes. Family money begins to run out, and Omar is arrested for stabbing a policeman during a drug raid. Before long there is another political upheaval in Sudan, and Anwar's faction is no longer in favor, and he washes up in London. Najwa and Anwar resume their relationship, and they quickly go through much of the money that Najwa has left. Alas, their love doesn't survive this downturn in fortune. Najwa is on the cusp of despair when she meets a woman who convinces her to begin attending the Mosque in Regent's Park. Najwa slowly rediscovers her Islamic religion, and as she finds support and friendship at the Mosque, she begins to find peace with her situation.
Years go by and we see that Najwa's life changes dramatically as she finds herself taking a job as a Nanny in a rich Muslum household. She has a complicated relationship with this secular family, and she is drawn to the much younger son who is, like Najwa, a devout Muslum.
As the story evolves, the reader, like Najwa, is not sure what her future holds. While she finds comfort in religion, Najwa begins to realize some of the binding and claustrophobic rules keep women down and curtails freedoms. The weakest part of the novel is the number of questions it leaves the reader with regarding Najwa's future and her relationships. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book and the way it caused me to see life through the eyes of a young woman as she struggles to understand her family, her background and her culture. It offers a good opportunity for a book group discussion.
In 1984 Najwa and her family lived in a large home with many servants; they had an opulent life in Khartoum. They also maintained an expensive apartment in London. Najwa didn't think much about her countrymen who lived in poverty. Her family were not religious, lived a western life-style, and traveled to Europe frequently. She took much for granted including her University education. She largely ignored the fundamentalist factions at school as she dressed in latest fashion and cultivated other wealthy friends. Najwa's brother, Omar, ran around with a fast crowd and early on was addicted to drugs.
At school, Najwa falls in love with Anwar, a radical socialist and student leader. She admired his cool demeanor and agreed with his criticism of religious traditions and clothing like the hijab. She even ignored his attacks on her father until a coup forces the family to flee when her father was jailed and executed.
At first things remained much the same for Najwa and her family in London. But, after her mother dies everything changes. Family money begins to run out, and Omar is arrested for stabbing a policeman during a drug raid. Before long there is another political upheaval in Sudan, and Anwar's faction is no longer in favor, and he washes up in London. Najwa and Anwar resume their relationship, and they quickly go through much of the money that Najwa has left. Alas, their love doesn't survive this downturn in fortune. Najwa is on the cusp of despair when she meets a woman who convinces her to begin attending the Mosque in Regent's Park. Najwa slowly rediscovers her Islamic religion, and as she finds support and friendship at the Mosque, she begins to find peace with her situation.
Years go by and we see that Najwa's life changes dramatically as she finds herself taking a job as a Nanny in a rich Muslum household. She has a complicated relationship with this secular family, and she is drawn to the much younger son who is, like Najwa, a devout Muslum.
As the story evolves, the reader, like Najwa, is not sure what her future holds. While she finds comfort in religion, Najwa begins to realize some of the binding and claustrophobic rules keep women down and curtails freedoms. The weakest part of the novel is the number of questions it leaves the reader with regarding Najwa's future and her relationships. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book and the way it caused me to see life through the eyes of a young woman as she struggles to understand her family, her background and her culture. It offers a good opportunity for a book group discussion.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
FALL OF GIANTS by Ken Follett (fic)
Reading this long long novel, I felt like I was binge-watching Downton Abby. It was part---"this is silly, I can't read another word, and part--gimme more...more." Follett spins a good yarn. His stories are magnificent period-piece soap operas. The plots are often contrived and the characters outsize. But, we keep reading anyway. I find his formula works for different periods of time, characters from different books slip into convenient plots in other stories, just as they do their period costumes.
This is the first of a trilogy (the second and third books, equally long, have already been published). This book begins the saga of several families, whose paths converge over and over, just as World War I is about to begin. The Dewar Family are American and Gus Dewar, the son, seems to miraculously rise in power until before the reader can digest it, he is advising Woodrow Wilson, who seems to always take his advice. Then there is the Williams Family, poor Welsh miners. Once again, miraculously, the children are gifted beyond belief. How is it that a 16 year old boy, on the first day of his job in the mines, is soon giving seasoned veterans advice when a crisis arises. Similarly, his sister, Ethel who plays a major role in the novel and begins as a parlor maid, within days is soon running the household as the head housekeeper. If we learned nothing else from Downton, we know there is a pecking order in grand country houses. From parlor maid to housekeeper in a matter of days----never!
Other main characters are also soon giving orders: the son of the German Ulrich Family is equally sought out for his advice. The brothers Peshkov, Russians, are spearheading the revolution. Well, you get the picture. The English Fitzherbert family whose fortunes cross all these characters, seem not quite as gifted as the others, but they hold power and position. All these families and characters meet, separate, and implausibly meet again. The book ends as World War I ends, and the Women's Movement is in full gear. There is a lot of history to digest withing these pages, and all the characters are movers and shakers who impact that history. Come to think of it, amongst them all, they seem to be running the world with their timely advice to the powers that be.
Did I enjoy this book? Of course--it was addictive like candy. It is not great literature, but it is great escapism. Will I read the other two volumes? Possibly.
This is the first of a trilogy (the second and third books, equally long, have already been published). This book begins the saga of several families, whose paths converge over and over, just as World War I is about to begin. The Dewar Family are American and Gus Dewar, the son, seems to miraculously rise in power until before the reader can digest it, he is advising Woodrow Wilson, who seems to always take his advice. Then there is the Williams Family, poor Welsh miners. Once again, miraculously, the children are gifted beyond belief. How is it that a 16 year old boy, on the first day of his job in the mines, is soon giving seasoned veterans advice when a crisis arises. Similarly, his sister, Ethel who plays a major role in the novel and begins as a parlor maid, within days is soon running the household as the head housekeeper. If we learned nothing else from Downton, we know there is a pecking order in grand country houses. From parlor maid to housekeeper in a matter of days----never!
Other main characters are also soon giving orders: the son of the German Ulrich Family is equally sought out for his advice. The brothers Peshkov, Russians, are spearheading the revolution. Well, you get the picture. The English Fitzherbert family whose fortunes cross all these characters, seem not quite as gifted as the others, but they hold power and position. All these families and characters meet, separate, and implausibly meet again. The book ends as World War I ends, and the Women's Movement is in full gear. There is a lot of history to digest withing these pages, and all the characters are movers and shakers who impact that history. Come to think of it, amongst them all, they seem to be running the world with their timely advice to the powers that be.
Did I enjoy this book? Of course--it was addictive like candy. It is not great literature, but it is great escapism. Will I read the other two volumes? Possibly.
Monday, November 2, 2015
VIRGINIA WOOLF: A PORTRAIT by Vivianne Forrester (non-fic)
Originally published in French, this biography was translated by Jody Gladding. It won the Prix Goncourt for biography in France before Vivianne Forrester died in 2013. This is an intensely researched book and Forrester turns around some well entrenched perspectives of Virginia Woolf. What Forrester does is to intensely scrutinize Virginia's relationships with her family, her husband, Leonard Woolf, and her nephew Quentin Bell. Most of the accepted scholarship of Woolf up to this writing was largely based on memoirs written by Bell and accepted as gospel. He portrayed Virginia as frigid and emotionally fragile. A good example is the recently reviewed fiction book "Vanessa and Her Sister."
Forrester begins her study with Virginia's traumatic youth and her strange relationship with her overbearing father, Leslie Stephen. What a dramatic fierce upbringing Virgina and her sister Vanessa had, along with her step-siblings, the Duckworths and their mother, Julia. All of Virginia's work is influenced by her childhood experiences which were filled with secrets and lies. According to Forrester the most tragic lie was the myth fostered by her family of "Poor Virginia," who can't help herself as she is touched with madness. Even Quentin Bell's mother, Vanessa who was closest to Virginia comes in for her share of the blame. This infantilization of Virginia has slipped in to all her previous biographies. It was further nurtured by Leonard, her husband, who fussed and over-protected her.
Leonard Woolf is really hit hard by Forrester. What she accuses him of doing is taking his own compulsive weaknesses and fostering them in Virginia and then bullying her into helplessness. Problems that Leonard had with his own sexuality and anxieties became the very problems that he accused Virginia of possessing. Virginia indeed had bouts of mania which the author believes could have been managed in a way that would lead to a more wholesome view of her illness. Typical of the family's handling of Virginia is a quote from Vanessa to her sister at the height of fears of the German invasion during World War II.
"You must not go and get ill just now. What shall we do when we're invaded if you are a helpless invalid?" Such cruel misunderstanding of Virginia's condition, Forrester claims eventually pushed Virginia over the edge to her suicide.
I found this book difficult to read. There was a great deal of material at times presented with complicated sentence structure. I am not sure if this was the interpretation of the translator or the author's style. At times it was almost a Woolfian stream of consciousness. Since the author takes a different approach and viewpoint of Virginia Woolf's tragic life, it is best read as a comparative study. It is certainly a book of great importance in the study of Woolf and her literature.
Forrester begins her study with Virginia's traumatic youth and her strange relationship with her overbearing father, Leslie Stephen. What a dramatic fierce upbringing Virgina and her sister Vanessa had, along with her step-siblings, the Duckworths and their mother, Julia. All of Virginia's work is influenced by her childhood experiences which were filled with secrets and lies. According to Forrester the most tragic lie was the myth fostered by her family of "Poor Virginia," who can't help herself as she is touched with madness. Even Quentin Bell's mother, Vanessa who was closest to Virginia comes in for her share of the blame. This infantilization of Virginia has slipped in to all her previous biographies. It was further nurtured by Leonard, her husband, who fussed and over-protected her.
Leonard Woolf is really hit hard by Forrester. What she accuses him of doing is taking his own compulsive weaknesses and fostering them in Virginia and then bullying her into helplessness. Problems that Leonard had with his own sexuality and anxieties became the very problems that he accused Virginia of possessing. Virginia indeed had bouts of mania which the author believes could have been managed in a way that would lead to a more wholesome view of her illness. Typical of the family's handling of Virginia is a quote from Vanessa to her sister at the height of fears of the German invasion during World War II.
"You must not go and get ill just now. What shall we do when we're invaded if you are a helpless invalid?" Such cruel misunderstanding of Virginia's condition, Forrester claims eventually pushed Virginia over the edge to her suicide.
I found this book difficult to read. There was a great deal of material at times presented with complicated sentence structure. I am not sure if this was the interpretation of the translator or the author's style. At times it was almost a Woolfian stream of consciousness. Since the author takes a different approach and viewpoint of Virginia Woolf's tragic life, it is best read as a comparative study. It is certainly a book of great importance in the study of Woolf and her literature.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY by Lauren Grodstein (fic)
I am unfamiliar with this author, but I found Lauren Grodstein's novel compelling reading. The reader learns early in the story that something horrible has happened that has torn apart a family that seemingly had it all. Grodstein never lets us know what that something is until the climax of the novel. Because of this, the plot buildup is slow and measured. The novel goes back to the recent past gradually building up the suspense of this suburban tragedy. The main character, Pete Dizinoff, who has suffered this tragedy, is complete and well-drawn; some of the minor characters, are less so. Grodstein does an excellent job of giving voice to Pete, which can be a pit-fall when a female author inhabits the soul of an important male character.
When the story opens, Pete has been banished from his home to a bedroom above the garage. What he has done to merit this is the mystery which through flashbacks is eventually exposed to the reader. Pete is an internist with a successful practice in Round Hill, New Jersey. He has a lovely wife, Elaine, and a 20 year old son, Alec. Alec, a sensitive boy of artistic nature, has dropped out Hampshire College. Gradually we learn that Pete has lost his practice, his friends, and worse of all, his son.
Intruding on what had been a seemingly normal family life, is Laura, the beautiful 30 year old daughter of the Dizinoff's best friends. Laura's tragic and sad past is the catalyst which leads to Pete's downfall. It isn't long before Alec falls dangerously in love with Laura, and we are left to ponder if she uses Alec or in fact loves him in return. Pete who sees disaster around every corner sets out with good intentions to squash the romance. It becomes clear that Alec is the only child Elaine and Pete had been able to conceive. Possibly because of this, Pete is an overly protective parent, the kind which we have labeled "helicopter parent." Pete has always had a plan for Alec's life without ever taking into account Alec's needs which would allow him to grow into a complete adult. Pete is well-meaning, loves his son dearly, but is clueless about giving space and allowing his son to develop a sense of self. Now along comes Laura, ready to spoil all of Pete's hopes and dreams for his son.
Grodstein writes well, and though the story is tragic, I enjoyed reading her well-plotted novel. The characters are interesting and one feels they could be any neighbor down the street, living in desperation, but seemingly having the best of lives.
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