A review by jenmcmaynes
The Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Rose by Alice Munro

3.0

In this collection of connected short stories, roughly following Rose’s life in chronological order with her stepmother, Flo, bracketing each end, Munro sets the two women in contrast to each other. Flo with her rough, practical air and dislike for people “taking on airs and being something than they are”, and Rose, an actor who acts her way through relationships and events, constantly reinventing herself. As Rose struggles out of poverty and “makes it” in the wider world, she constantly doubts herself, perhaps rightly, because of Flo’s influence. It was interesting and a bit disconcerting to read characters so flawed, so close to self knowledge, so close to happiness, but who rarely actually achieve it. Munro also has the mid-20th century American obsession with marriage, divorce, and freedom that I had thus far only encountered in male authors. I know Munro is described as a master of the shorty story. I’m not sure if I see that, but I am impressed with the compassion with with she treats her flawed and in many ways unlikeable characters.