Penance. I opened J. Courtney Sullivan’s new novel, Maine, with low expectations, since I found the characters in her debut novel, Commencement, to be poorly developed and unsympathetic. I was pleasantly surprised to find the generations of characters presented to have depth and the overall story telling was done well and kept me interested for all four hundred pages. Protagonist Alice Kelleher set the course of her life in a specific direction following a life changing event. All her life has been lived in some form of penance for the guilt she felt. The sense of place that Sullivan creates for the setting in Maine will resonate for those readers who have ever lived in a special place. The family dynamics are so dysfunctional that this novel could be used in an introductory psychology course. Readers who like imperfect characters with messy lives and odd relationships are those most likely to enjoy this novel. Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended)
Click here to purchase Maine from amazon.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment