#suemiller

After her first marriage that was over almost before it started, Annie is surprised when she meets Graham, who is so gleeful, so larger than life in every way. She can not help but be taken in by his joy, his thirst for life, friendship and love. At the same time, she fears being swallowed up somehow by this enormous personality, and she clings to her own pursuits, her photography, her tiny bits of independence, even as she struggles to find success. When tragedy hits, she realizes that in spite of her efforts, she’s relinquished more than she’d realized, or perhaps just less than Graham was willing to.

I found that this was one of those books that upon completing I wondered, ‘well, what was the point of that one?’

Yes, it is clearly a contemplation on the worthiness of the institution of marriage, of vowing to be with one person for all of one’s life. It calls into question whether it is for everyone – and it may just not be. It also raises the issue of trust; of the understanding that one has agreed to this arrangement and if there is a break in that bond, that it will be handled with honesty and respect. When this doesn’t happen, when there are different expectations on either side, it can break hearts into pieces. Sometimes irrevocably.

But this is stating the obvious. And the obvious is what we see happen in both Annie and Frieda (Graham’s first wife with whom he stays uncomfortably close). And we see this happen in exquisite (and almost painful) detail. The problem is that beyond this, and of course the one major event, almost nothing else actually happens in the story. Truly. Not much of anything else. (One might consider renaming the title Monotony…)

Quite disappointing. And yes, NOT a must read…

the arsonist

Frankie has just arrived home from her relief work in Africa, unsure of her next step, and immediately she is sucked into the drama of both her parents’ lives and of the small New England town they now inhabit year-round. What everyone seems to be caught up in are the fires – fires being set in peoples’ homes. First in homes of those not yet up for the summer, then gradually in homes of those who were up but not at home at the time, and then, most frighteningly, a few set when people were home. As Frankie becomes more involved because of her parents’ involvement, she also becomes more involved in the newspaper reporter who is reporting on the fires – and this may disrupt her usual lifestyle of keeping herself unencumbered. Will she change her pattern for him? Will she change her pattern to help her more needy parents? And who is setting these fires?

There is just enough suspense and character development to keep interest in this story, although it is only just enough. It seems as though the author herself has only just enough interest in the story itself. There is good character development and I liked each of the characters, particularly Bud, the newspaper reporter, who has given up the big city, political reporting for the small town, local newspaper gig. He is down-home, and down-to-earth, and he connects to people genuinely with his heart. She also creates a side story of Frankie’s parents and their tragic aging, which is painful and harsh, but also realistic and relatable.

I think the point is that the story is about relationships and not what is actually happening/the plot. Maybe that is what the author intends all along.

Maybe that is life?

Monogamy by Sue Miller

The Arsonist by Sue Miller