Synopsis
A collection of short stories revolves around a series of strong, Canadian women who, through small, non-violent acts of defiance, seek justice, security, and salvation among the ruins of their romantic relationships. 10,000 first printing.
Reviews
A fine collection of nine edgy, vivid stories, most of which appeared first in Canadian periodicals, by an Ottawa writer who has been hailed as ``the new Alice Munro.'' Speak isn't quite that (nor does the old Alice Munro need replacing just yet, thank you), but her crisp, troubling portrayals of women discovering the worst about their families, their lovers, or themselves are distinguished by a terse, acerbic prose style and skillful deployment of well-chosen images. ``Stroke,'' for example, depicts a long-married woman's acquiescence to the loss of her husband within the wintry context created by an indifferent faraway daughter, a melting snowman, and a dying cherry tree. ``Eagle's Bride,'' examining the anger of a woman who loses her lover back to his determined wife, occurs on the edge of an Inuit settlement and makes striking use of the Eskimo legend that provides its title. Several of Speak's principal characters are women who sin more than they're sinned against: The title story's protagonist emulates her long-absent father by defying convention and welcoming ``the sin and the shame . . . as they seem to be what makes life worth living.'' And Honora, in The View From Here, revenges herself on the family who exploit and ignore her, only to realize that, by failing to set a loving example, she has sealed her own grown daughter's tragic fate. Two stories are truly exceptional: ``Memorabilia,'' in which an aggrieved wife confronts her unfaithful husband, pushing him toward career- and life-changes that make a new man of him and remove her from his life; and ``Summer Sky: White Ship,'' the brutally realistic story of a woman who marries into a family of violent, petty-criminal men and can't shake off their influence or save herself for anything (or anyone) better. Strong, memorable stories that add scarred, exhausted flesh and blood to the sad statistics of the heart. Alice Munro would surely approve. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
These nine absorbing tales of passion and isolation set in rural Canada feature spirited women getting even. Take Arctic newcomer Stella, narrator of "Eagle's Bride," who balks at being evicted from her lover's home and destroys a greenhouse built by his runaway wife. Or Loretto in "Memorabilia," who locks her adulterous husband out of the house when it's 30 degrees below zero. And there's Mariah in "The Sum of Its Parts," furiously confronting her rival in a kindergarten classroom. In these stories, errant husbands begging forgiveness are turned away by women they don't recognize, ex-wives who bravely cherish their newfound independence. Not all the endings are triumphant, however. In the funny, bittersweet title story, a hapless dental assistant tolerates her lecherous boss, believing the waiting room couch is a step to the altar. In addition to examining doomed relationships, Speak dissects families: in "A River Landscape," a manic depressive artist undermines her vital support system; in "Summer Sky; White Ship," a long-suffering wife rebels against bullying relatives; and in "The View From Here," a lusty mother whose life is in shambles watches helplessly as her daughter courts danger. Canadian writer Speak is a gifted analyst of the stark realities of life. In this outstanding first collection, she explores the intricate terrain of women's hearts in eloquent and witty prose while deftly demonstrating a mastery of this exacting form.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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