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Isabel Huggan You Never Know: And Other Stories
Viking Adult 0670838691 / 9780670838691 Hardcover Very Good
0670838691 From Publishers Weekly nDemonstrating the same sharp eye, nuanced ear and unblinking, affectionate insight that marked The Elizabeth Stories , her debut collection about adolescence, Huggan here focuses mostly on young married women. Sexual, maternal, intelligent and aware of their failings, her women share the recognition that their innocence was not so much lost as illusory. This knowledge brings liberation as well as sorrow. Among the best stories is the delicate, deftly crafted On Fire, which follows Lily, who has not been able to conceive, on the annual summer vacation she and her husband take with her former college roommate, Casey, her husband and three babies. Huggan refers to the future the two couples will inhabit, resolving some of the hinted-at secrets while leaving others unrevealed. Losing Face and Skin the Colour of Money trace the observations of a young Canadian woman, living in Nairobi with her diplomat husband, as she tries to understand her relationships with African servants and merchants. In Knowing People a Canadian woman returns with her husband and teenaged children to the remote Scottish farm where she spent a summer 25 years earlier. Whether set in Africa, a mental institution (Throwing and Catching), in a rural farmhouse (The Violation) or in southern France (Sitsy), Huggan's stories and her original characters bear the stamp of unarguable authenticity. nCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. n nFrom Library Journal nThis is a powerful collection of 12 short stories written about women, their intimacies, and the intricacies of their relationships. The stories are set in Canada, Kenya, and France--all places where Huggan ( The Elizabeth Sisters , LJ 4/1/87) herself has lived. In 'Throwing and Catching, a psychology student discovers a young woman in a mental ward who is deeply entertwined with her own childhood. In Observing the Niceties, a daughter reflects on her mother's life. Fine Tuning portrays a woman's difficulties relating to both her sister and her daughter. Losing Face explores the relationship between a woman and her servant. Sitsy shows the spaces in the relationship between husband and wife, while On Fire delineates the onset of passion. Multifacted women of all ages are effectively portrayed in this sensitive, satisfying collection. n- Stephanie Furtsch, Purchase Lib., New York nCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Price:
10.90 EUR
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