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A review by book_concierge
The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue
3.0
From the book jacket New Orleans, 1920s. Raziela Nolan is in the throes of a magnificent love affair when she dies in a tragic accident. In an instant, she leaves behind her one true love and her dream of becoming a doctor – but somehow, she still remains. Immediately after her death, Razi chooses to stay between - a realm that exists after life and before what lies beyond it. From this remarkable vantage point, Razi narrates the stories of her lost love, Andrew, and the relationship of Amy and Scott, a couple whose house she haunts almost seventy-five years later.
My Reactions
This is an ethereal novel that moves back and forth in time as Razi’s spirit watches over Amy and Scott, but then takes time to recall her youth in 1920’s New Orleans. Through the flashbacks we learn that she was a well-loved and nurtured child, with parents who applauded her successes and encouraged her dreams. She was a free spirit and liked being a little naughty as well (sometimes going about “without any dainties” under her clothing. Her awakening feminism fueled her desire to be a doctor, and also resulted in conflict between her and her beau, Andrew. But their love was stronger than the expectations of society and they were looking forward to a long and loving relationship when she died.
Amy and Scott happen on an estate sale and buy an old bookcase for their home, and that is how Razi comes to haunt them. For the bookcase was Andrew’s and still carries his scent. Razi has always wondered what happened to Andrew and now she cannot let that puzzle go. As she watches them, Razi realizes something is wrong in their marriage and she begins to play pranks (moving things about, pulling photos out of albums, dropping marbles) to bring them closer together. It’s not working, though. Amy has own tragic past she is struggling to overcome. And then Amy goes to visit her great aunt Twolly, and Razi begins to finally put together the puzzle of what happened to Andrew.
I liked Razi as a young feminist struggling to find her place in a world that had very clearly defined, and somewhat narrow, expectations for a young woman of her social class. I enjoyed her spirit, tenacity, intelligence, and courage. I thought her behavior as a ghost was somewhat out of keeping with the vibrant young woman she had been in life. Amy was a complete puzzle to me. I didn’t understand her long-standing grief or why she completely shut her husband (and anyone else) out of her turmoil. I felt the way in which her story line was concluded was abrupt. I think the dual plot lines got away from Domingue. Still, this is her debut novel and she shows promise.
I started out listening to the audio version, capably performed by Rebecca Gayheart. Her voices for Razi, Twolly, Andrew, Amy and Scott were believable and easy to differentiate. However, somewhere in the middle of disc two I was feeling lost in the plot and somewhat disconnected from the characters. Going to the text version to look up a certain passage I realized that the audio was abridged! Something that is not announced on the jacket, nor in the introduction to the novel. I hate when that happens! I finished the book reading the trade paperback.
My Reactions
This is an ethereal novel that moves back and forth in time as Razi’s spirit watches over Amy and Scott, but then takes time to recall her youth in 1920’s New Orleans. Through the flashbacks we learn that she was a well-loved and nurtured child, with parents who applauded her successes and encouraged her dreams. She was a free spirit and liked being a little naughty as well (sometimes going about “without any dainties” under her clothing. Her awakening feminism fueled her desire to be a doctor, and also resulted in conflict between her and her beau, Andrew. But their love was stronger than the expectations of society and they were looking forward to a long and loving relationship when she died.
Amy and Scott happen on an estate sale and buy an old bookcase for their home, and that is how Razi comes to haunt them. For the bookcase was Andrew’s and still carries his scent. Razi has always wondered what happened to Andrew and now she cannot let that puzzle go. As she watches them, Razi realizes something is wrong in their marriage and she begins to play pranks (moving things about, pulling photos out of albums, dropping marbles) to bring them closer together. It’s not working, though. Amy has own tragic past she is struggling to overcome. And then Amy goes to visit her great aunt Twolly, and Razi begins to finally put together the puzzle of what happened to Andrew.
I liked Razi as a young feminist struggling to find her place in a world that had very clearly defined, and somewhat narrow, expectations for a young woman of her social class. I enjoyed her spirit, tenacity, intelligence, and courage. I thought her behavior as a ghost was somewhat out of keeping with the vibrant young woman she had been in life. Amy was a complete puzzle to me. I didn’t understand her long-standing grief or why she completely shut her husband (and anyone else) out of her turmoil. I felt the way in which her story line was concluded was abrupt. I think the dual plot lines got away from Domingue. Still, this is her debut novel and she shows promise.
I started out listening to the audio version, capably performed by Rebecca Gayheart. Her voices for Razi, Twolly, Andrew, Amy and Scott were believable and easy to differentiate. However, somewhere in the middle of disc two I was feeling lost in the plot and somewhat disconnected from the characters. Going to the text version to look up a certain passage I realized that the audio was abridged! Something that is not announced on the jacket, nor in the introduction to the novel. I hate when that happens! I finished the book reading the trade paperback.