Book Review

Last week I read Winner of the National Book Award: A Novel of Fame, Honor, and Really Bad Weather by Jincy Willett, which was the book I won in Di's April BAFAB contest. The longer I wait before reviewing a book, the less likely I am to remember the details, but of this I am sure: I laughed out loud several times while reading this book (a rarity) and grinned throughout most of the rest. Willett has a razor-sharp wit and a real facility with language. I would love to go out for a few drinks with her—as long as I didn't end up on the receiving end of her satirical barbs! And in case you don't take my word for it, check out some of these blurbs:

• Augusten Burroughs: "The funniest novel I have read, possibly ever."
• Janet Maslin: "Riotous... hugely funny... A wicked treat."
• The Onion: "Unnerving, scabrously funny...spectacularly toxic."

You get the idea.

So. Dorcas and Abigail are twin sisters who've lived their whole lives in dumpy little Frome, RI. Willett perfectly captures the provincial, dead-end feel of so many New England towns—but tiny Rhode Island in particular—where, for example, "a half-hour drive [is] the psychological equivalent to a full-day outing anywhere else." She also loves to poke fun at pretentious Yankees:

Whatever the truth, it's a fact that the Yankee in southern New england is a shmoo, a leprechaun. An Idea. Rhode Islanders with English names talk in hushed tones about so and so being a Real Yankee and with the same reverence with which Arizona people talk of ghostly Indian tribes, who are out there somewhere, but whom no one has actually seen. Just watch their faces when they talk about old Mrs. Sprague, down the road and up the hill, watch their delighted smiles when they say "real Yankee." How badly they need to believe.

Meanwhile, the twins could not be more different. Dorcas, the narrator, is the spinster librarian, determined to live and die alone: "So I was Sister Dorcas of Frome, and some day my dessicated, indestructible hymen would be a holy relic...." Abigail, on the other hand, is the town pump, and perfectly content to be so. But they love and need each other; they understand each other and their relationship. That is, until the evil Conrad shows up and throws everything into turmoil. But I won't give any more away.

Some heavy subjects are addressed in this book, including domestic violence (mostly psychological) and anorexia, but Willett is somehow able to keep the humor up without in any way diminishing the seriousness of her topics. What a terrific read!

P.S. I just have to mention that on p. 281, Willett mentions both Framingham, MA, which is where I was born and raised, and Franconia, NH, which is where we spend many weekends at Andy's parents' ski house. Could there be any other reader of this book who has such strong ties to those two places? I felt like it was a private shout-out just for me!

Comments

[Di]

I must put that on my TBR list. How funny...because I just finished When Madeline Was Young which was the book I won in Dolce Bellezza's BAFAB contest!

Only a few days until the next BAFAB. Time to start thinking of some cute idea or theme!

[Florinda]

I bought this book a while ago and it's been just waiting its turn - the back cover blurbs were intriguing, but I hadn't encountered anyone who'd even HEARD of it, let alone read it. Thanks for your review! I think I'll be moving this one up higher in the stacks now.