I finished this book earlier tonight. What a great story. Some very profound parts. Some laughter, some tears. A true heart-breaker of a story, yet a story that depicts a reality we all might have touched on at one time or another in our own childhoods.
STORY SUMMARY
Elaine Risley is a controversial artist...a painter...and she returns to her childhood hometown of Toronto, Canada, to show some of her work in a gallery.
While there, she goes back in time reflecting on memories of when she was growing up. Reflecting on a trio of girls who were her childhood friends. These girls "initiated" her into the secret world of friendship, longing, betrayal.
Elaine needs to find and come to terms with her own identity as a daughter, a lover, a wife, a mother, an artist, a friend, and....a woman. But before she can do this, she must come to grips with her past and get released from the haunting memories.
MY THOUGHTS
This book was a little disturbing ( because of the era she grew up in, and because of the way friendships are often formed in childhood...all the nuances of what that entails.....today we would call it "bullying").
I loved the story because it was my first Margaret Atwood novel that wasn't a "dystopian" setting.
Elaine's childhood takes place in the 1940s/1950s and I believe the adulthood part of the story would be the 1970s/1980s based on content. Elaine's struggles with her identity were so real. I have known friends who have struggled with some of the same issues.
The underlying sadness is a bit much...you must look beneath the surface to find the gem of a story that it is. There is this depressing aura about this story....but in other ways there is a hilariousness to it......it is just so life-like!
From a literary viewpoint, it is excellently written. It is probably one of the best books I've read about female friendships.
It's my favorite Atwood novel and my third.
In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10.
1 comment:
This sounds like a good one. I think my mom would like it too!
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