A Literary Walk in the Woods

Title: In Caddis Wood
Author: Mary Francois Rockcastle

Sweets and hydrangeas

Despite the absence of more than half of our sorely missed discussers, we had a great conversation anyway because we weren't interrupting each other.

Insights and Opinions

+ This work delivers strong momentum from page one. Carl's first experience of "something hot and galloping in the room, black walls leaping like a Tilt-A-Whirl, the steady thump of his heart," pulls the reader in. We know we are in good hands.
+ With two primary viewpoint characters -- successful architect Carl and his writer wife Hallie -- we questioned whether we understood whose story this is. Further, there are two daughters, each of whom has suffered enormous tragedy. And then there is the land -- nature -- which is also a key character. Ultimately, we decided it's the marriage's story. How does a marriage grow, shift, suffer, shrink and expand over a lifetime and through tragedy and betrayal?
+ Back story is revealed in small increments over the course of the novel, which sometimes caused us to falter. But by novel end, all of the back story has been revealed, and the last two chapters soar.
+ The prose is lyrical, poetic, beautiful and a joy to read.
+ So much of this story is told through memory, which stimulated us to ponder the nuances of how a story shifts, depending on who is doing the remembering. Did it really happen that way? Was it the same experience for both?
+ Layers of destruction populate this book. There is natural destruction -- from a hurricane, from lightning. And then there is manmade destruction -- a poisoned piece of land Carl works to restore, Carl himself poisoned by exposure. Recovery is everywhere in the aftermath of natural destruction. There is no recovery from the manmade destruction. Is there a message here?
+ Throughout, Hallie is trying to understand the meaning of her own life. Can this woman artist work wholeheartedly and all-consumingly in the way her driven architect husband can?

Oddments and Telling Details

Joanne's fabulous library, of which we are
all insanely jealous.

+We've decided to open our blog up to public scrutiny.
+ Then, we spoke American Sign Language for awhile, having been distracted by a plugged ear and the fact that two of us can speak ASL. Who knew?
+ We are all as excited as can be about Graywolf Press' recent successes -- one of our favorite hometown small presses that every reader should adopt.