White Rabbit

A look at the joys, heartbreaks, and absurdities of old age follows feisty Ruth Caster Hubble through her last day alive as she reviews her life and contemplates an insane world

Phillips's wise and witty first novel recounts a fateful day in the life of Ruth Caster Hubble, 88, who resides with her daft but devoted husband, Henry, in a condo in Laguna Beach, Calif. The title refers to the Caster family tradition of saying "White Rabbit" to one another on the first day of every month; on this particular White Rabbit day, Ruth is haunted by blurred visions of a snow-colored bunny that cause her to feel "as if all her routines were under attack by some insidious force of nature." These routines are portrayed in poignant detail, from the arranging of the protagonist's precisely composed breakfast to the steps in her morning beauty regime, to how she instructs Henry to separate the garbage; as the day progresses, however, Ruth's set ways are increasingly interrupted by memories of events and people past. Phillips brings a frank yet empathetic eye to the rich array of characters who appear either in person or through Ruth's reminiscences?including the woman's beloved first husband, Hale, who died decades ago and whose imperfections are revealed in the novel's climax; her eccentric, free-spirited Aunt Elizabeth; her successful but confused granddaughter, Karen, who drops by for dinner. Most memorable of all is Ruth herself, independent and caustic yet deeply caring, whose self-assured personality, tempered by loneliness, is fully realized. Deftly balancing humor with difficult questions about living and dying ("Would life without illusion be any more bearable, or meaningful, or kind?" Ruth wonders), Phillips, an author who, at age 28, is still near the beginning of her own adulthood, has managed to write a perceptive and sophisticated novel about a woman at the end of hers.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

It is the first day of the month, a lucky White Rabbit day, and Ruth calls granddaughter Karen in the early morning hours to say so first. After all, at 88 she needs all the luck she can muster. Foiled when Karen's faithless husband answers the phone, Ruth proceeds with her day?which will hardly be average. Despite attempts to adhere to her compulsive daily routine, Ruth is plagued by myriad pains, hallucinations, and memories of her past, primarily of her dearly loved first husband (as usual, she is aggravated by her current husband). By day's end, and perhaps simultaneously with the end of her life, she is left with two questions: Is it better to accept facts as they are or to reflect on how things might have been? Would life without illusions be any more bearable, or meaningful, or kind? These are worthy considerations for any of us. This first novel is well written but a bit depressing. Recommended for larger fiction collections.?Kimberly G. Allen, MCI Corporate Information Resources Ctr., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Curmudgeonly 88-year-old Ruth Caster Hubble is set in her ways and unabashed in her opinions. Awakening December 1 in Southern California, she realizes it is a "white rabbit day," the first day of the month and time to enact the monthly Caster clan tradition of calling another relative and being the first to say "white rabbit." It may be sentiment or mere superstition, but like other rituals in Ruth's life, it lends order to her world, providing a sense of stability and structure. Phillips shows respect and great empathy for Ruth's struggle to remain in the bland present while tempted to lapse into memory, finding it a more comfortable place to dwell. This is both a saddening and genuinely funny day-in-the-life of an aging woman, sensitively rendered with vibrant, witty dialogue and zoom lens^-glimpses of humanness. Young Phillips is in her element here, enjoying her story and enticing her readers, line by line, pulling them along, attentive and eager for her next sentence. One can only await with enthusiasm this new writer's next book, wondering what magic, beyond "white rabbits," she has in store. Janet St. John