The year is winding down, which means, girls, I need to cram in as much reading time as I can. Right now, I am reading this dark, lovely Victorian (Christmas is the time for such things, darlings!!) novel called "New Grubb Street." It explores the literary scene in London of that time, and what with the conflict between hard copy and Kindle books today, it still has a kind of timeliness. And the conflict between artistry and those who sell out--oh, honey, I am telling you!!!!!!!!
I'll talk more about that book when I finish it. The one I want to talk about right now I touted awhile back as a Fall Literary Event!!!!!!!!!!
Leah Hager Cohen's "The Grief Of Others" has a cover which evokes the Broadway set of "August: Osage County." Proof positive that you cannot judge a book by its cover, because, on the basis of it, and some positive feedback I had heard, it was my hope this novel would, in its own way, have been as compelling as Tracy Letts' play. Alas, alas.
It's not that Cohen's novel is not good, or that she can't write. She can; it is just that she goes down territory we are all too familiar with. The impact of a child's death on a family cannot be under emphasized, but the minute the novel opened with daughter Biscuit (real name-Elizabeth) Ryrie symbolically pouring ashes into a brook, I knew where this would end up. Which it does, cyclically; with the family restored as a unit, disposing of the actual child's ashes. Been there, done that!!!!!!!
While other characters, like Gordie, and his father, who is dying/does die of cancer, and makes these artistically beautiful dioramas, she does not do enough with. And still others, like John Ryrie's daughter from a student liaison, Jess, she does too much with, added to which the character is SO annoying. And, unfortunately for us, the reader, she is the catalyst that moves the story forward. Judging from all the buzz generated by Rooney Mara in 'Dragon Tattoo,', I think if this book gets filmed, she will play Jess.
It is all so predictable, darlings. I mean, so is Dickens, but, sorry, Leah, hon, you don't have that kind of lyrical genius!!!!! Though it a somewhat short 371 pages, I found myself wanting to hurry up and finish this, and get on to something else!!!!! I did not feel that way at any time while recently reading the 800 page plus "Moby- Dick." Just goes to show, girls, it is all in the writing.
I wanted to like "The Grief Of Others" more. It does not go completely out of control, like "The Night Circus," but it takes too long to establish where it is going, and then take paths too frequently traveled.
Though, how about that little thing dropped at the end that Gordie might be gay???? What is that all about???? Let me say, I never got a Gay vibe from Gordie while reading the book. What are you doing, Miss Cohen???? Is this your way of tossing in a little surprise!!!!!! Stick to Lilac Chocolates!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know what was more frustrating--"The Night Circus'" lack of prosaic cohesiveness, or Cohen's exploration of overly explored turf. Let's see what she can do with a subject that goes in a new direction, or one not as frequently explored!!!!!!!!!!
Like my fashion sense, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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