A review by marilynsaul
Barn Blind by Jane Smiley

5.0

An amazing debut novel, which I read back in the '80s and loved enough to carry with me throughout my years wanderings and adventures. And it was all "new to me" on the re-read some 40 years later. I had completely forgotten that Kate was such a damaged, obsessive, controlling, passive-aggressive person. And I kept wondering how, why she had become like that, because there were hints that she was not at all like this before her conversion to Catholicism. Did she convert because the religion more closely suited her true personality and helped her justify her actions? Or did the conversion create the monster??? It really struck home with me because my domineering, damaged, controlling mother was a devout Catholic. No answers here - just pondering.