Sharon Johnston

oh boy. file this one, unfortunately, under 'hot mess'; this is such a problematic novel.

it has a great idea at its core, but the book is just not well realized. i am trying to imagine the wrangling the editor had to do to get it to this state, and even then... it's just so... bad. the main character, clara, is inaccessible. she's aloof as a person - the words come out but there's no emotion or hint of oomph from her - and the author really offers no way into the character for readers. there are a crap-ton of threads in this story... many go nowhere, save for the purpose of 'here was this moment in history, i'm going to mention it in the story and tick off this box'.

the focus and voices in the book are all over the place, as is the structure. and the tone is continually patronizing. i understand the very likely intent was to show openness and progressive thinking of a woman in the 1920s, but instead her words and actions constantly come across as condescending and judgemental. at times, it was outright offensive because it felt so clearly pandering. (which i am fairly certain is the complete opposite intention of the author, who i believe to be a lovely, smart and well-intentioned woman.) i have a list, below, of all the different issues johnston glances past in this book. it's a long one. each of these instances were so ineffective. i am not sure - beyond aforementioned history lesson - of her goal? there were no deep explorations, each issue just felt like a opinion placard being waved about.

E.L. Doctorow said this: "Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader—not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.” and i was reminded of it several times while i read johnston's book, for what was not being delivered."

anyway, i am sorry to be so critical and negative towards this book, it's not something i enjoy. but i am truly wondering how this book got to press like this? also: holy bad title, batman. sigh.

reading notes:

• oh my gosh - nearly every man in this story is short and stocky. save the one guy who was kind of fit. but still short. we are told about the stature, hair and eyes of every man introduced. it's so weird.

• subjects introduced that go next to nowhere - it's like there's a checklist of issues johnston was working through:
◦ sexual abuse by a priest
◦ botched abortion
◦ terrible relationship between clara and her mother, amelia
◦ amelia's ostracization, and complete break from the family
◦ racism
◦ prohibition
◦ gay men
◦ anorexia
◦ suicide
◦ stress eating = fat; being in love = weight loss
◦ residential school abuse
◦ 1929 market crash
◦ misogyny

• things that should be gotten over because nurse clara says so:
◦ quadruple amputations
◦ phantom limb pain
◦ pregnancy out of wedlock
◦ being abused by a priest

• totally patronizing. continuous tone of condescension throughout the story.… (plus d'informations)