Two
sisters, Sarah and Emily, are the children of divorced parents. We observe the sisters over four decades, watching them grow into two very different women. Sarah is stable and stalwart, settling into an unhappy marriage. Emily is precocious and independent, struggling with one unsatisfactory love affair after another. Richard Yates's classic novel is about how both women struggle to overcome their tarnished family's past, and how both finally reach for some semblance of renewal. Yates is one of my favorite authors. He writes so powerfully and effortlessly. In just a sentence or two, you are captured by the characters and feel immersed in their lives. I love how he writes with force and simplicity. As with all of Yates books, he captures suburban middle America so well. His books are not happy -- usually dealing with dysfunctional families, alcoholism and dissatisfaction with jobs and life. He works capture the lives of the characters so well. When I finished this book, I felt a dissatisfaction but, find that it is staying with me and the richness continues to unfold.
Rating: 4 Recommend
