Today, I blew off my temporary job removing staples, making copies, and avoiding the "cute" little old man in the office who wouldn't leave me alone to go shoe shopping, blog and finish reading Susanna Moore's (In the Cut) latest novel and, as I'm sure is obvious from this very post, I'm happy to report that it's only 9 am and already two of those goals have been met. Who said teachers don't work hard in the summertime months? But enough already of me trying to awe and amaze you with my industriousness (and awed and amazed you are, I'm sure) - on to the book.
Set in the Sloatsburg Correctional Institution, a female prison in Upstate New York, The Big Girls describes the story of four intertwined characters: Dr. Louise Forrest, Sloatsburg's Chief Psychiatrist, Helen Nash, a schizophrenic inmate doing life for killing her infant children, Captain Henry Bradshaw, a corrections officer who starts up an affair with Dr. Forrest, and Angie Mills, a Hollywood actress and the object of Helen's obsession. The narrative moves constantly and seamlessly between these four viewpoints to reveal the harsh realities of day-to-day prison life and the effect that the oppressively grim environment has on everyone who touches it.
Thankfully, what this book is not about is redemption, and its absence kept it from becoming a neatly trite little novel. Instead, it was searing, harshly realistic and an often-times overwhelming read. Ironically, I picked up The Big Girls because I wanted a light, easy read between two pieces that I knew would be difficult for different reasons, however the novel, although slim, was definitely not light and the prose, although sparse, was definitely not easy. This was a difficult book for me, especially when it began to delve into Helen's history and the causes behind the mental illness that led her to her heinous crimes. It was darkly psychological and heartbreaking, and although I'm glad I read it, I'm not sure I want you to. I like you too much and hate to see you sad, little buddy!
Up Next: The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
Set in the Sloatsburg Correctional Institution, a female prison in Upstate New York, The Big Girls describes the story of four intertwined characters: Dr. Louise Forrest, Sloatsburg's Chief Psychiatrist, Helen Nash, a schizophrenic inmate doing life for killing her infant children, Captain Henry Bradshaw, a corrections officer who starts up an affair with Dr. Forrest, and Angie Mills, a Hollywood actress and the object of Helen's obsession. The narrative moves constantly and seamlessly between these four viewpoints to reveal the harsh realities of day-to-day prison life and the effect that the oppressively grim environment has on everyone who touches it.
Thankfully, what this book is not about is redemption, and its absence kept it from becoming a neatly trite little novel. Instead, it was searing, harshly realistic and an often-times overwhelming read. Ironically, I picked up The Big Girls because I wanted a light, easy read between two pieces that I knew would be difficult for different reasons, however the novel, although slim, was definitely not light and the prose, although sparse, was definitely not easy. This was a difficult book for me, especially when it began to delve into Helen's history and the causes behind the mental illness that led her to her heinous crimes. It was darkly psychological and heartbreaking, and although I'm glad I read it, I'm not sure I want you to. I like you too much and hate to see you sad, little buddy!
Up Next: The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
Labels: authors K-O, books, fiction
2 Comments:
I finished Raw Shark Texts and indeed we must discuss. I also started another book that I think you'll dig a lot: Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. It's set in England in 1982 and is told first person by a 13 year old narrator. A reviewer called it "Britain's Catcher in the Rye." I'll have to pass it your way when I'm done...
Ooh, a British Catcher in the Rye is exactly the sort of combination that would get me all hot and bothered. Please, yes, do share.
Post a Comment
<< Home