2006-10-12 Slow life, fast life

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, which disturbed me because I really didn't think I was into this type of novel, by which I mean a "detail" novel-you know, one of those books that dedicates itself to the intricacies of life, people's characters and their thoughts. I guess a comparison would be the way Linda Fairstein writes with the main character stopping off at named coffee shops for specified items of food and following detailed routines at home (all described). I'm not complaining-it works as a method, but you've got to be able to cope with it. Marge Piercy writes the book from the point of view of four characters and depending on who each chapter is focused on, that's the name of the chapter, so: Susan, Dinah, Willie and Laurie.

Whilst the book concentrates fairly heavily on Susan's fragmentation, you should also read it for the characters of Dinah and Willie, two people (and lovers) that clearly exemplify people who make the most out of life and all it has to offer, even with the limited horizons of a rural and small-town area such as Cape Cod. They're happy and relaxed characters, who love each other (and Susan) and show warmth and acceptance of others (although Dinah rightly thoroughly dislikes Tyrone). They help the book portray how life is resilient in the face of adversity; and how relationships can mend and change for the better, despite past history and awkwardness. It's worth reading just for this.