Wow. This is the second book I've read by Mary Morris. I loved both books for completely different reasons. The Waiting Room had such different tone than this one and I am impressed that the same writer could bring out such strong yet diverse emotions in me. This was one of those books I just couldn't put down. I related to the narrator in ways that made me very uncomfortable through much of the book, I'm curious if others who didn't relate to her felt the same unease. I was constantly questioning the sanity of the narrator but really she was just human... I can't wait to read some more of Ms. Morris' work! ( )

intenso e profondo. la descrizione delle sfumature caratteriali e di atteggiamento di alice, la protagonista sono notevoli. la pittrice e la sua ossessione artistica di dipingere solo la vecchia casa di famiglia e che cerca di capire come il padre abbia avuto l'incidente mortale e di come la verità verrà a galla grazia alle rilevazioni che darà alla famosa scrittrice sua vicina. questa permetterà di arrivare ad alice ad una verità omessa e dimenticata dalla psiche di alice. ( )

This short, deceptively simple novel is about a woman who paints and teaches art classes at a small college with a declining financial base. She is still mourning the death of her father, who she feels abandoned her for a time after he married her stepmother, and whose death, she suspects, was not entirely accidental. When her neighbor, a writer suffering from a spell of lagging inspiration, abruptly befriends her, she wonders whether she is being exploited for her story. The prose is clear and straightforward, the story full of layers that may not be evident to the reader until the twist at the end leads to further reflection.

Not to be confused with Mary McGarthy Morris, Marry Morris has written about 12 books but this is the first one I have read. It is very competently written and I did enjoy the story, a tale of obssession and recovery. ( )