Say When

This was the first book I read by Elizabeth Berg and I knew I had discovered a good author. She is a master at creating memorable characters, yet ones that are simple and real - people you could imagine encountering at your local grocery store or seeing at your child's school concert. This story is unique in that it is told from the husband's point of view, a refreshing tactic for a female author. Griffin, the narrator, is stunned to learn that his wife is leaving him for another man. He did not see this coming and now has a young daughter to care for, as well as a failing marriage to contemplate. His journey of self-discovery is told with simplicity and wit. This was an enjoyable read (despite the sobering subject matter) with a satisfying conclusion.

Elizabeth Berg is a master at telling stories of family drama, and Say When is one of her best books. At the start of the novel, Griffin suspects that something is going on with his wife, Ellen, a sometimes odd woman with a tendency towards sadness. However, he is stunned when she informs him that she his having an affair and wants a divorce. When Griffin refuses to leave the house, they suddenly find themselves negotiating the care of their 8-year old daughter, Zoe, while living as merely roommates.The fact that the story is told from the husband's point of view is refreshing, as is the fact that there are no bad guys here--both Griffin and Ellen are nice people who have made some mistakes. Furthermore, both are good parents to Zoe, and their interactions with their child are completely realistic as well as touching. In the midst of his domestic turmoil, Griffin gets a job as a mall Santa during the Christmas season, and his conversations with his many young visitors also ring true. The plot is simple yet never predictable, easily engaging the reader in a comfortable way. Overall, this is a delightful little book about marriage, family life, and second chances.

I love ALL of Berg's work and this book is no exception. Not knowing that she had a new book out, I practically jumped up and down when I saw it on the New Release shelf at our local library. The twist for Berg is that the novel is written from a male perspective. So it was really, really interesting to feel like I was spying on the Male Mind in its most intimate moments. We're all accustomed to the stories where the man has an affair, the woman suffers, the woman grows strong, yadda yadda yadda. In "Say When," it's the woman who has an affair and we experience the man's tangled emotions and thoughts throughout the story. Even for those in happy marriages, there is much truth in the husband's memories of the marriage and in the character dialogue. As soon as I finished it, I laid it on my husband's nightstand so he can read it too.

I love Elizabeth Berg's books and this was no exception. I particularly loved Griffin who was right on in his actions and feelings. I enjoyed the nicknames he had for the lover. Made me laugh every time. Enjoy.

Elizabeth Berg is a wonderful novelist with an uncanny way of writing about life's quiet, everyday moments--the ones that make up the fiber of life. I loved True to Form, Never Change, and Open House, and also her novels featuring the young female character first introduced in Durable Goods. SAY WHEN, her new novel, is exquisite. It takes on a subject so many of us have had touch our lives in some way--infidelity--and examines not only what it can do to a marriage, but to a family, and to a husband in particular. Moving, beautiful writing and a thought-provoking message--I can't say enough about this book. Just terrific!