2015 books: 5-8

[the_siobhan]

    

The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood. One of Atwood's early novels, this was published in 1969. I know I read it many years ago - maybe in school? It's a pretty well-known story, about a woman who gradually loses the ability to eat after she becomes engaged to a man who immediately starts making her over into the person he wants as a wife. Atwood uses the trick of shifting from first-person narrative to third-person as the main character becomes more and more absorbed into her new role and detached from her actual feelings. The metaphor seems heavy-handed now, but keep in mind it takes place during a time when it was considered entirely reasonable for an employer to fire a women if she got married. It's an odd book to read now. All the single women she knows from work are naturally looking for a husband. There is a sililoquy from one character about whether or not it's fair to let women go to University, since it only sets them up for misery when they eventually become a wife and mother and have to give up the "life of the mind". And a lot of Freudian crap about rejected feminity and lack of male role models making sons homosexual. (The worst fate ever, of course.)

    

Pilgrim by Timothy Findley Pilgrim is the name of a man who claims to be immortal and has attempted suicide multiple times. He is checked into a Swiss Sanatarium by a friend where he is receives treatment from Carl Jung. Pilgrim is supposed to be the main character but the book ends up being more about Jung than his patient. Findley writes with a very light hand and so for a book of this length (500+ pages) it ends up being a very quick read. The environment is one of wealth and privilege, so everything feels very clean and gentle and... I keep thinking of the word "padded", like everybody is protected and coddled by their wealth, in spite of everything that happens. Not my favourite Findley novel, but definitely an interesting read.

    

Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King The story is about various members of the Blackfoot tribe who return to their reserve in Southern Alberta for the annual Sundance. A dam has recently been built on the adjacent river that will flood part of the reserve, however one of the tribal members has won an injunction against putting the dam into use. It is also the story of what happens when legends start wandering around trying to fix things. I adore King's writing. He mixes 20th century people and events with traditional story-telling style and a fantastic amount of snark. This book is so much fun.

    

The Romantic by Barbara Gowdy This was one of Fiona's books. The inside cover of the book is signed by the author, but it's addressed to somebody named Norm. I have no idea who Norm is. The main character is a young woman named Louise who's mother abandoned her and her father when Louise was very young. Louise transfers her desire for motherly love onto a neighbour woman and from there onto the neighbour's son Abel. She never recovers from her fixation with the boy next door and it ends up ruling the rest of her life. This is a really sad story. Unlike Mr Sandman there is no happiness or closure, just a lifetime of unresolved longing.

I think these are all going into the Library. I may see if I can hunt down Norm first.