Stella and Tilly both narrate the story alternately, offering the reader glimpses of their broken souls. Tilly's back story, her time as a prostitute, the birth of her son Abe, her inability to break her dependence on alcohol, and the secrets and lies that drove her out of her family are all powerful and terrible stories. Stella is not quite a counterpoint to Tilly's unrelentingly bleak and doomed person. She details her own disappointments and the mind-numbing stagnation of her life. And Abe, Tilly's son, adds his own layer of sadness to the story. Really, the misery and dysfunction that infuse this novel is a bit overwhelming. Jamison has captured the despair and pain of alcoholism, the death-grip with which the addiction holds its sufferers and she has accurately portrayed the futility and hopelessness that can thread its way into the lives of the people around the alcoholic. This is not a comfortable read. It is not a happily ever after. It is tragedy on a personal scale. And it can be hard to read but equally hard from which to turn away.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Review: The Gin Closet by Leslie Jamison
Stella and Tilly both narrate the story alternately, offering the reader glimpses of their broken souls. Tilly's back story, her time as a prostitute, the birth of her son Abe, her inability to break her dependence on alcohol, and the secrets and lies that drove her out of her family are all powerful and terrible stories. Stella is not quite a counterpoint to Tilly's unrelentingly bleak and doomed person. She details her own disappointments and the mind-numbing stagnation of her life. And Abe, Tilly's son, adds his own layer of sadness to the story. Really, the misery and dysfunction that infuse this novel is a bit overwhelming. Jamison has captured the despair and pain of alcoholism, the death-grip with which the addiction holds its sufferers and she has accurately portrayed the futility and hopelessness that can thread its way into the lives of the people around the alcoholic. This is not a comfortable read. It is not a happily ever after. It is tragedy on a personal scale. And it can be hard to read but equally hard from which to turn away.
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It sounds as if this is a really intense read. I have to be in the mood for those types of books but I think I will put this on my TBR if in that mood list!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reviewing it!
Sounds like it could almost be a memoir. I don't think I'd like this one even though your review was very good....just me
ReplyDeleteThis does sound a bit heavy. But I know what you mean about not being able to turn away from it. Good review.
ReplyDeleteI love that you were able to so succinctly convey the depressing and intriguing aspects of this story. It's so hard to balance them--but it sounds like this author did. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI think I will be interested in this one. Let me add it to my list!
ReplyDeleteYour review is spot-on. I loved Jamison's writing style, and though this book was dark and heart-breaking, it was so good.
ReplyDelete--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric