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Alistair's Reviews > Day
Day
by
by
Alistair's review
bookshelves: families-fiction, gay-fiction, marriage-fiction, grief-fiction
Jan 05, 2024
bookshelves: families-fiction, gay-fiction, marriage-fiction, grief-fiction
I tried to explain to my friend Linda how Cunningham is able to suss out the essence of his
characters. And yes, it was pointed out to me (excruciatingly) that he had created them. But there is more to his writing, something elemental, without going gooey-eyed, about how he writes people, both female and male, and how his enormous talent envelops the actions and feelings of his characters. I suppose, clumsily, what I’m trying to say is, these people on the page, live for The Reader. And this Reader was not disappointed.
There is Garth, desperate to have more contact with the child he’s fathered.
The quiet dignity of a couple whose marriage is disintegrating: “ … they merely slipped away from love.” With one half of the couple (Dan) reimagining a reconciliation, whilst the other half (Isobel) contemplates living alone, but within distance of her children.
My problem with this novel is the character of Robbie, Isobel’s brother who has been living in the attic of their now un-affordable townhouse for both of the young children’s lives.
Both Isobel and Dan admit they are in love with Robbie - and it is reciprocated, not sexually, but that doesn’t change any personal impulse. I thought it was a pity that Cunningham wrote the character of Robbie as he did: he is god-like to his niece and nephew, and at the apex of a troubled three-way relationship.
However it is a beautifully written novel; don’t miss it.
characters. And yes, it was pointed out to me (excruciatingly) that he had created them. But there is more to his writing, something elemental, without going gooey-eyed, about how he writes people, both female and male, and how his enormous talent envelops the actions and feelings of his characters. I suppose, clumsily, what I’m trying to say is, these people on the page, live for The Reader. And this Reader was not disappointed.
There is Garth, desperate to have more contact with the child he’s fathered.
The quiet dignity of a couple whose marriage is disintegrating: “ … they merely slipped away from love.” With one half of the couple (Dan) reimagining a reconciliation, whilst the other half (Isobel) contemplates living alone, but within distance of her children.
My problem with this novel is the character of Robbie, Isobel’s brother who has been living in the attic of their now un-affordable townhouse for both of the young children’s lives.
Both Isobel and Dan admit they are in love with Robbie - and it is reciprocated, not sexually, but that doesn’t change any personal impulse. I thought it was a pity that Cunningham wrote the character of Robbie as he did: he is god-like to his niece and nephew, and at the apex of a troubled three-way relationship.
However it is a beautifully written novel; don’t miss it.
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Reading Progress
January 2, 2024
–
Started Reading
January 2, 2024
– Shelved as:
to-read
January 2, 2024
– Shelved
January 5, 2024
–
Finished Reading
January 7, 2024
– Shelved as:
families-fiction
January 7, 2024
– Shelved as:
gay-fiction
January 7, 2024
– Shelved as:
marriage-fiction
January 7, 2024
– Shelved as:
grief-fiction