Ode to Reading - Fiction: 2024 (April-June)
I made a good faith effort in the second quarter to maintain my commitment to high quality fiction works. I dived into Amor Towles and read Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, The Lincoln Highway and Table for Two. His works were witty, brilliant and engaging and I previously posted my reviews!. I then turned to recent books by two respected authors- Colm Toibin and Kristen Hannah. The common denominator is both are well written with a narrative driven by an intriguing lead female character. Neither is perfect, but I do believe both works merit a “Thumbs Up.”
Long Island —Colm Toibin
Mr Toibin is skilled, even magical writer. Long Island is a sequel to his 2009 best seller Brooklyn. A movie followed that work and made Saiorse Ronan a star. I loved both the book and the movie. It will be interesting to see if Long Island attracts movie offers. The main character is Eilis Lacey. In Brooklyn, she is a 20 year old immigrant from Enniscorthy, Ireland. She settles in boarding-house in mid 50’s Brooklyn. She is a wonderful character- a naive young woman who blossoms in America. She completes her studies, obtains gainful employment, is successful, meets a charming Italian emigre named Tony Fioretti and impetuously leaps into marriage. Tony is rather undeveloped. He is sweet, has an overbearing extended Italian family and is head over heels in love with his Irish bride. The narrative moves back to Ireland when Eilis returns home for her sister’s funeral. Drama follows- she combats her rather rigid and stubborn mother, reconnects with her high school buddy Nancy and engages in an overt flirtation with Jim Farrell, the town heart throb from a prosperous family. Complications develop, Eilis’ marriage to Tony is disclosed and she returns to America. Read Brooklyn before starting on Long Island. Eilis is the whole story. She is wonderfully complex, makes some questionable decisions, but you are rooting for her every step of the way. The book has depth and captures the rhythms of Irish village life. Trust me, the rhythms aren’t always lovely or positive! Lots of secrets, pettiness and small mindedness and jealousy. Irish fellows are a bit disappointing, well meaning but clueless in the relationship department. Brooklyn is a strong read.
Long Island is twenty years later- mid 1970’s. Eilis and Tony have two teenage children and live in Lindenhurst, a working class enclave in Long Island. They are surrounded by Tony’s mother, brothers, cousins- basically a family compound. At first glance, they are living the American dream. Good jobs, good schools for kids and faith in the future. You do sense the situation is more complex from Eilis’ perspective. The family is overbearing and intimidating and you wonder whether she has retained her independent streak- or just settled! The major plot event occurs in the last chapter of Brooklyn. In Long Island, it happens in the first chapter. Eilis is visited by a man from the neighbourhood. He tells her that Tony has impregnated his wife and that he will not be raising that child. He plans to deposit the newborn at Tony and Eilis’ doorstep. She confronts Tony about his infidelity, announces she will not allow that child to cross the threshold of her home, rejects interventions from Tony’s mother and decides it is a good time for her first visit to native Ireland in 20 years. Plus, she will bring the kids- their first visit to their Mother’s home village. Tony’s character, similar to Toibin’s treatment of him in Brooklyn is a sideshow- never really coming into focus. Eilis is the whole story here.
Therefore, the majority of Long Island actually occurs in Enniscorthy, Ireland. 20 years have passed since Eilis’ dramatic departure after her secret American marriage was revealed to the town. The characters re-appear in all their glory. Little has changed though. Her mother is doubly difficult, advises her she won’t inherit anything from her and rejects the modern appliances that Eilis has purchased of her. I genuinely wonder whether our author has “mommy” issues because the Italian and Irish mothers depicted here are formidable, controlling and scary characters. Nancy is a recent widow and operates a low margin chip shop. She has embarked on a discreet affair with our old buddy Jim Farrell, now the owner of the town’s best public house. An engagement is forthcoming. Alas, the arrival of Eilis complicates things. Jim still holds torch for her and they gradually rekindle their prior flirtation and ultimately ACT on it. Finally, the Irish have sex!! The assorted interactions between these main characters is the plot. Chapters alternate between their points of view. Next time you vacation in Ireland and stop in the small villages- never assume they are as idyllic or sleepy as they appear at first glance. There is “mucho” going on behind closed doors. There is Irish charm, wit and warmth here- combined with intrigue, duplicity and hypocrisy. The plot gets a bit silly the last 2 chapters. Frankly, not particularly credible. Toibin does ultimately return to the strength of the book- the character development of Eilis. In some ways, the 20 year passage of time has changed her. She is more decisive, resilient and mature. However, at times, she is flat and seemingly alienated from her surroundings, unable to feel totally at peace in either America or Ireland. Plus, customs, norms and traditions remain powerful constraints on her behaviour. The book concludes with another major life decision. She is still a work in progress and her journey has not been completely satisfying for me, the reader. I hoped for more self awareness and wisdom. But, she is only 40 so a lifetime remains and I look forward to seeing Toibin and Eilis in print again.
The Women by Kristin Hannah.
The Women is a literary phenomenon. It reached No 1 on the New York Times best seller list this week. The “cool” literary critics applaud the book. This effort builds on earlier works that were popular and commercially successful. I chose the book after receiving enthusiastic recommendations from two good friends- both smart and sophisticated ladies. I admire the book, although I found it to be uneven. First, I think we need more “Vietnam” books. We seem more comfortable reading novels and watching tv programs focused on on our national heroics in World War II. Safe and nostalgic. Vietnam is more complicated, but I am concerned young people have no clue on the nature of that war and how it impacted the country- and particularly how it influenced their parents. There are three great books- Vietnam by Stanley Karnow , The Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan and The Best and The Brightest by David Halberstam. The Things That They Carried by Timothy O Brien, The Rumor of War by Philip Caputo and Winners and Losers by Gloria Emerson were best sellers on their time and are all worth a read. The Women is a Vietnam book with a needed twist- the focus on the long ignored story of women who served as nurses on the ground during the conflict. I think there was a TV show years ago, China Beach, but its didn’t make much of an impression. So kudos to Ms Hannah for exploring an important story.
Frankie McGrath is our protagonist. A child of California country club privilege, a recent college grad and debutante. She has nursing degree. Her brother, her hero, and his buddies are off to Vietnam to beat the communists. She lacks direction. Her mother “lunches” regularly and is a champion charity fundraiser. She encourages Frankie to follow in her footsteps. Her Dad plays golf, makes money and is respected if distant. American Dream on steroids! The family experiences a shock. The favoured son DIES very early in his Vietnam tour. Not the plan. Frankie, looking for purpose, makes a life changing decision and decides to serve her country as well. She signs up for the Army Nurses Corp and is sent off to Vietnam. Her parents, with a traditional patriotism that doesn’t envision female military service are not pleased. Frankie remains steadfast and sticks with her decision. Her Vietnam experience is the backbone of the book.
Frankie arrives in Vietnam totally unprepared for the challenges facing a combat nurse. She ultimately serves multiple tours. The horror of wartime medicine is depicted vividly. Napalm, gut wounds, brain injuries, amputations, young GI’s dying in your arms, the gore of field hospitals, the chaos of combat zones, dizzying helicopter missions are presented in unrelenting fashion. it is magnificent writing- very intense. Frankie is naive, but learns fast. Frankie overcomes her fears and becomes an excellent nurse- a leader. She bond with her fellow nurses. They are a living mutual support group- teaching one another and learning from one another. They become fiercely loyal lifetime friends- have a bond. You appreciate the absolutely critical role the nurses play in the whole operation. The doctors come off well- they are fatigued, battle worn and cynical, but save lives and respect the professionalism of the nurse. A compelling narrative and it works.
For me, there is one questionable aspect of the book- and it is an important feature of the story- the whole guy-girl romance in the jungle component. From inspirational stories of wartime sacrifice, we revert to high school sock hop and prom culture. Frankie falls in love twice in Vietnam. Of course her love interests are handsome, charismatic and ultra cool fellows- a chief physician and then a dashing officer (who happened to be her brother’s best buddy). Unfortunately, they are both quite “married.” Frankie, our role model, makes some questionable choices. It is compounded by unfortunate developments. Basically, these guys DIE and leave Frankie reeling with incipient PTSD. The relationships were against her traditions and moral code, but such are the realities of pressurised war environments. I guess, but I found it unsatisfactory. Further, both dead paramours are resurrected by Hannah later in the book- I kid you not! They both, somewhat improbably had survived deadly situations. This then spins into a betrayal of Frankie after lover No 2 returns home from POW camp and is greeted by his wife AND children on the tarmac. Frankie has gone from superhero nurse to unwise jilted lover in a flash and that part of story did not resonate with me.
The other compelling, if disturbing theme of the book, is Frankie’s homecoming and the nature of the nation she calls home. It goes poorly and the writing is poignant and effective. It is also dark and depressing. No one understands the nature of the war and no one is particularly curious. Her parents ask no questions about her experience and just want everyone to get along. The country club friends and neighbours didn’t even know she had been there and insist to her face that “no women” served in Vietnam. The country seems complacent and Vietnam just made for awkward conversations at parties. The ex soldiers I saw at the Veterans March in Chicago in the early 80’s came to mind. I remember feeling great empathy, but admit I had no clue on what they had experienced in Vietnam- even though we were only a few years apart. The book also doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of post war personal and professional re-integration into society. Frankie’s struggles at work- it is unsatisfying and bureaucratic. She is depressed for extended periods and her only guideposts are her nursing friends from Nam who are spread across the country. Finally, she gradually re-emerges and has a quasi healthy relationship with a relatively kind and normal man. She becomes an activist on veterans issues. I wont give away the ending, but those of you who are sentimental will love it. I thought OK- a product of another unbelievable coincidence that author Hannah appears to relish. A good book.
