Trophy House

"Trophy House" begins with an outraged phone call from Dannie Faber's best friend, Raymie Parsons. Faber, a children book's illustrator, describes Parsons as "a geyser of gossip and hard news." Parsons complains about the enormous mansions dotting the beach and the changing landscape of Cape Cod's population, "Where have all the artists gone?" The writing by Anne Bernays is fast-paced, heavily laden with dialog that enables the plot to move forward without the slightest hint of the author's presence. All the action and internal thoughts are seen through the eyes of Faber, a character that is faced with several challenges. Beth, her daughter, has just been heart-broken; Parsons suddenly begins a close relationship with Mitch Brenner, a trophy house owner; and lastly, Faber's marriage to Thomas is quietly breaking down as the couple barely sees or speaks with each other. Faber stays in Truro, Cape Cod while the complacent hubbie lives in Boston. Bernays' characters are more than just stock type, but instead are apt to surprise, delight and blossom, especially when a crisis occurs. "Trophy House" proves that judging by appearances is hollow as an excessively large empty beach house. A quick read that delves into the inner life of a middle-aged woman's circle of challenges. Bohdan Kot

Readers who know Cape Cod, and especially the outer Cape, will enjoy this book for the way it captures the changing, and unchanging, aspects of this very special place. But the real accomplishment of the book, for me, was the way it explored the private and often difficult spaces that exist between men and women moving in and out of marriages and grownup relationships. Bernays is courageous in the way she takes on the work of showing the ambiguities and choices that mature love presents. As we get older, life and love don't necessarily get simpler. One other thing that makes this book worth picking up is the author's perfect-pitch sendup of the NYTimes' Vows column. If you're a reader of that column, you will find yourself laughing out loud at the fictional cameo it makes in Trophy House.

Trophy House is the kind of novel you sneak off to finish reading when you should be doing something else. It's a perfect summer delight--fast paced, clever, humerous--and filled with astute observations about our culture. Whether you hate trophy houses, live in one, or covet one, you'll love this book. Of course it's not just about trophy houses or the folks who inhabit them or try to eradicate them-- it's about marriage, love, friendship, and being a parent. Dannie, the narrator, is the kind of smart, warm woman whom you'd like as a friend. The ending is a wonderful surprise--and absolutely right.

On Cape Cod, the residents are depressed as the one year anniversary of 9/11 occurs. Children's book illustrator Danforth "Dannie" Faber is sad and somewhat guilty because her life is near perfect while summering on the dunes of the Cape. She and her spouse MIT anthology Professor Tom is an ideal couple and their two adult children seem to be doing well. Perhaps the only glooms are that she dislikes the lover of her daughter, Beth and wealthy Mitchell Brenner has built an affluent monstrosity in the middle of Truro. However, her perfect life begins to unravel when Beth comes home heartbroken as her lover dumped her. Stunned Beth quit her job as accessory and make-up editor at Scripy teen magazine. An even worse shock is Tom leaves Dannie for someone younger. Upset but refusing to mope, Dannie finds solace with a publishing peer. TROPHY HOUSE is an intriguing character study that focuses mostly on a middle age woman whose life radically changes when her long time spouse leaves her, but also provides a look at other individuals like a nouveau riche show-off, etc. However, this is clearly Dannie's tale. Thus, after the initial shock is over, Dannie begins to regain her equilibrium seeking solace elsewhere. Though action readers need to visit a different house, Anne Bernay writes a fine contemporary fiction novel that stars a strong ensemble cast kept together by the strong lead protagonist. Harriet Klausner