Rose Reason

I am sorry to learn that this book is out of print because I happen to think it is very well written. Perhaps it is a novel that can only be appeciated by a certain age group - the early baby boomers. Mary Flanagan has attempted to chronicle the extreme transformations of body, mind, and soul that occurred in the 60's and 70's. Rose Mullen is a wonderfully developed character whose life undergoes several transformations as she searches for the men who continually leave her. One technique used by Flanagan, (Rose's memoirs are directed towards an unknown person in her life) is very effective. The main flaw in this novel is the development of the character of Miles, who remains a mystery and is largely undeveloped and impossible to understand. This is definitely a book worth reading because some readers will find themselves examining their own radical transformations, and isn't that what literature is all about, discovering oneself hidden inside of the words?