64. A Mother and Two Daughters

by Gail Godwin (544 pgs)

Rating: 3

Nell is the mother, Cate and Lydia are the daughters. When husband and father, Leonard Strickland, dies suddenly the three women are thrown back together and forced to change. Lydia, who is always correct but nevertheless divorcing her husband Max, Cate the hippie/activist that never slows down, and Nell the mother who's never lived for just herself.

Mom and I read A Mother and Two Daughters back in August or so. (Sorry the post is so late.) Mom observed, and I agree with her, that it seems like nothing much happens. This observation is true in a way and false in others. Many things happen in this novel. Many shocking, wonderful, horrible, elating things. What doesn't happen, is all this things being pulled into a single story. The narrative is very 'day in the life of' and I don't think that the author did this by mistake. I don't much enjoy it though. The writing, itself, is masterful and there were many points in the book that I enjoyed.

recommended to people who like slice of life narratives.