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A review by andrew61
Ashland & Vine by John Burnside
4.0
This novel focusses on the redemptive power of storytelling both for the narrator and the listener.
It is set in 1999 and Kate Lambert is a film studies student in a mid western university. She is living with a charismatic boyfriend laurits (not particularly likeable character) and slipping into alcoholism after the death of her father, a man who dominated her life after her mother left but himself is a troubled soul, disappearing periodically into the wilderness. Laurits sends her out to find stories from strangers for one of his projects where she meets Jean culvert an old lady living a solitary life in a large home. Jean instantly diagnoses Kate's problem and promises that if she remains sober for three days she will tell her stories.
The subsequent tales are those of Jean's life from her father's work as a campaigning lawyer which gives the title, to her relationship with her brother, a lost love, and the stories of her niece and nephew. it is the these latter tales that were captivating as we learn of ' The weather underground' an anarchist group in 60's and 70's America and the shadow of the Vietnam war.
This is a really good read which I enjoyed thoroughly, being immersed in the storytelling itself in a well crafted story. I was signposted to the book by an interview with the author on the vintage podcast, and this Scottish poet is a writer whose works I will now look forward to exploring as demonstrated well written and poetic prose.
It is set in 1999 and Kate Lambert is a film studies student in a mid western university. She is living with a charismatic boyfriend laurits (not particularly likeable character) and slipping into alcoholism after the death of her father, a man who dominated her life after her mother left but himself is a troubled soul, disappearing periodically into the wilderness. Laurits sends her out to find stories from strangers for one of his projects where she meets Jean culvert an old lady living a solitary life in a large home. Jean instantly diagnoses Kate's problem and promises that if she remains sober for three days she will tell her stories.
The subsequent tales are those of Jean's life from her father's work as a campaigning lawyer which gives the title, to her relationship with her brother, a lost love, and the stories of her niece and nephew. it is the these latter tales that were captivating as we learn of ' The weather underground' an anarchist group in 60's and 70's America and the shadow of the Vietnam war.
This is a really good read which I enjoyed thoroughly, being immersed in the storytelling itself in a well crafted story. I was signposted to the book by an interview with the author on the vintage podcast, and this Scottish poet is a writer whose works I will now look forward to exploring as demonstrated well written and poetic prose.