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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
3.5 stars. Another solid Anne Tyler novel. It ended as I wanted, with a slight interlude I wasn't expecting or cared for.
I know this book was huge when it came out and so I was curious how it'd hold up. I got a lot out of it actually. Lots about the intricacies of the ways we get stuck in ourselves, in our grief, our patterns and what it takes to break out. I'm glad I read it.
I liked this the best of the Anne Tyler books I've read so far (having not ever read any, I've read 3 in a matter of weeks). It starts out laugh-out-loud funny, with a cast of cranky characters (I loved the way Macon streamlined his life after his wife left him, and Muriel is a wonderful creation). But halfway through it changes imperceptibly to become full of pathos and human emotion, and turns from light entertainment to something more profound. In the end I didn't know what I wanted Macon to do -- but I realised that for the first time in his life he'd done something of his own volition, and it probably was the right decision for him. The last paragraph is corny but lovely.
If you haven't read any Anne Tyler, this would be a great place to start. Provided you are over 35 and have experience of a long relationship -- I note from GR reviews that a lot of 20-somethings don't seem to get it :)
If you haven't read any Anne Tyler, this would be a great place to start. Provided you are over 35 and have experience of a long relationship -- I note from GR reviews that a lot of 20-somethings don't seem to get it :)
emotional
funny
reflective
I kept waiting to be engaged in the story... and the resolution left something wanting.
SPOILERS
I can't connect with the main character because I have no children and have not been married, but I imagine that this book is very real in the character's and the character's wife's reactions to the tragedy involving their son.
[rant coming up...]
It does seem sort of slow, but Muriel adds some color to it. I'm ridiculously disappointed that Macon ended up going back to her in the end! She's a certified psycho. I would head for the hills if some one I was dating bought me a calendar with our wedding date marked on it before we ever had a chance to discuss it. Before she bought the calendar, she kept mentioning marriage offhandedly by saying things like "Oh, if I were to get married again... if I decided to or wanted to." It was infuriating watching her irresponsibility in quitting her job and her selfishness in expecting Macon to marry her. Afterward, she had the AUDACITY TO CALL HIM SELFISH FOR NOT BEING READY TO GET MARRIED. GOOD GRACIOUS, WOMAN, GET OVER YOURSELF! The fact that she called Macon's travel agent and lied to obtain the information to get on the same flight and stay in the same Parisian hotel as Macon is even more mind blowing. I could not be more appalled at this point. Even more, she insisted that she come to Paris because he NEEDS her. That was borderline stalker behavior. Scratch that. That IS stalker behavior.
I'm not saying Macon should have ended up with Sarah, but MURIEL, REALLY? Macon shouldn't have left Alexander so abruptly, but Muriel has way too much baggage to deal with. In short, she's f*cking crazy.
I assume Muriel's presence in the book is a means for Macon to evolve as a person, though, and I think we do see progress at the end. I think this is promising for his future even if his future doesn't involve Sarah.
I guess the author was going for a sort of "perfectly imperfect" story. Overall, so-so.
I can't connect with the main character because I have no children and have not been married, but I imagine that this book is very real in the character's and the character's wife's reactions to the tragedy involving their son.
[rant coming up...]
It does seem sort of slow, but Muriel adds some color to it. I'm ridiculously disappointed that Macon ended up going back to her in the end! She's a certified psycho. I would head for the hills if some one I was dating bought me a calendar with our wedding date marked on it before we ever had a chance to discuss it. Before she bought the calendar, she kept mentioning marriage offhandedly by saying things like "Oh, if I were to get married again... if I decided to or wanted to." It was infuriating watching her irresponsibility in quitting her job and her selfishness in expecting Macon to marry her. Afterward, she had the AUDACITY TO CALL HIM SELFISH FOR NOT BEING READY TO GET MARRIED. GOOD GRACIOUS, WOMAN, GET OVER YOURSELF! The fact that she called Macon's travel agent and lied to obtain the information to get on the same flight and stay in the same Parisian hotel as Macon is even more mind blowing. I could not be more appalled at this point. Even more, she insisted that she come to Paris because he NEEDS her. That was borderline stalker behavior. Scratch that. That IS stalker behavior.
I'm not saying Macon should have ended up with Sarah, but MURIEL, REALLY? Macon shouldn't have left Alexander so abruptly, but Muriel has way too much baggage to deal with. In short, she's f*cking crazy.
I assume Muriel's presence in the book is a means for Macon to evolve as a person, though, and I think we do see progress at the end. I think this is promising for his future even if his future doesn't involve Sarah.
I guess the author was going for a sort of "perfectly imperfect" story. Overall, so-so.
After Macon Leary, a travel writer, and his wife Sarah lose their 12 year old son to a random murder, they separate for a year only to find their ways back to their familiar routines. Kind of a trite read. While I liked "A Spool of Blue Thread", this one didn't do it for me though. I'll give another a try before I give up on the author.
I’m just gonna leave this 3 star review here and quietly walk away without another word said...