oliviabeckreads 's review for:

Carol by Patricia Highsmith

4.0

emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This is not a book I would have chosen for myself. (My husband chooses the audiobooks we listen to together, and I suspect he was thinking it would be more along the lines of Strangers on a Train.) I typically don’t enjoy romance or books that are almost all emotion - which Carol definitely is. However, I am so glad we listened to this remarkable story.

The story begins slowly. Therese, the viewpoint character, is a young woman trying to get her start in the world and figure out who she is. She struggles with the conflict between her own truth (which is far more than her sexual orientation) and who society expects her to be. As such, her emotions are all over the place. 

When she meets Carol, an older woman going through a divorce, Therese becomes obsessed. Carol appears to return her affection, but they keep their friendship just that - friends. When they take a road trip together, they finally allow their love to blossom. But their bubble is crushed when Carol’s divorce proceedings take a nasty turn.

And that is the part that sticks with me - their struggle with society. The book was published in 1952. As much as the LGBTQ community struggles with acceptance from some groups in American society today, this book makes it clear how far we have come. It was truly dangerous to love a member of the same gender. I have always known this on an intellectual level, and have been angry at the injustice, but Carol made me realize how heartbreaking it could be on an emotional level. 

For those of you who live in your emotions more than I do, this probably isn’t news to you. However, if you are like me, one who lives in your intellect, reading this story will make you understand emotionally, how truly tragic life could be for the LGBTQ community 70 years ago.