It is July 16, 1999, in Dublin, Ohio. On this day, the 13th anniversary of their wedding, Molly Bluhm and her husband, Leo, quietly follow their usual routines. Leo, a college professor, busies himself with his work and worries about his aging father; Molly, keeping close to their home, dreams about the life she once had and wonders if Leo will remember the significance of the date. As Molly's and Leo's thoughts circle each other throughout the day, Judith Kitchen illuminates the full scope of their life together. Despite their separate musings, both-in different ways-mourn the loss of their four-year-old son who died eight years before. With echoes of Michael Cunningham's The Hoursand Charles Baxter's The Feast of Love, this deeply moving novel poignantly explores grief, love, and loyalty, and the exquisite texture of an ordinary but fateful day, that turns out to be unlike any other.
I was enthralled by this book from the very first sentence. The writing is so beautiful that, even though the vast majority of the action takes place in the mind and there are many purely descriptive passages,the story seemed full of action. I appreciated the water imagery, which was consistent throughout, lending a unity to the narrative. Kitchen is not the first to use this potent imagery ( "Those are pearls that were his eyes"; "I should have been a pair of ragged claws . . .") but that's because water is so elemental to everyone. I must confess that, like Molly, I am a 50-plus married woman with a passion for music, so I found lots to relate to in the book. Unlike Molly, however, I do not enjoy the works of Edna O'Brien. One quibble: I thought the portrait of the husband as a deracinated, disaffected Jewish academic was more than a little trite.
An Ordinary Unforgettable Day
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
The House on Eccles Road pulls off a small miracle. It's the story of one anniversary day in a troubled long term marriage--a day filled with recognizable "petty offenses" by the couple against one another, and with the possibility of reconciliation. It's realistic. It's also written in a fluid internal style, ranging from character to character, and centering on one woman's longings. It's colored by sadness and memory but brilliantly intense about the present. It's a passionate, lyrical book. And for those who can recognize this, it plays off amazingly against James Joyce's mammoth Ulysses, answering that mammoth mythic masterpiece with a woman's point of view, a woman's feelings, a woman's truth. It is a moving book, maybe unforgettable.
thoughtful
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
This book surprised me- it slows you down. The entire book takes place in one day. How two married people can so easily live within their own heads and rarely intersect at good conversation. I found the writing beautiful and very true to life. a simple snapshot. a magnifying glass into the mind.
an authentic and sensitive peak into a mature feminist mind
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
This book came as a gift from my college-age son. A "story" it is not, verging more on the poetry of daily life. It is succinct, well edited, and the writing is exquisitely crafted to give life to the personal voices of Molly and those family members and others who touch into her life. The 51-year-old Molly is close to my age - her thoughts, insecurities, and relationships feel so authentic. This is a book to share and savor with your women friends. I find myself looking to see what else is available from Judith Kitchen.
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