I’ve said it before and I know I’ll say it again, but I still plan on reading all of Carol Shields’ work. This is my fourth Shields’ novel, and while it wasn’t as good as the other three, The Stone Diaries, Unless, and Larry’s Party, it still ranks as a 4 star book. The three I had previously read were the last three she wrote, while The Box Garden was written in 1977 and was only her second novel.
Charleen Forrest is a divorced poet with a son. Charleen has all the ordinary issues with her ex-husband and with her mother (who doesn’t?), but the way Shields writes about them are anything but ordinary.
“My breakdown too; that’s the part I didn’t confess, the part I conceal even from myself except when I am absolutely alone in the middle of the night as I am now. The day Watson left, everything more or less fell apart for me, too. The world, which I was just beginning to perceive, was spoiled. Everything ruined, everthing scattered. Scattered like me, the way I’m scattered through this house.”
When I read her books, it is as if she is peering into my mind and soul and speaking directly to me. She always goes to the heart of the matter. I regret her early death from cancer. I feel like the literary world missed out on some wonderful stories that she unfortunately had to leave unwritten. You know the question that’s always asked about which author you’d like to meet and have dinner with, alive or dead? Without a doubt, mine would be Carol Shields.
“I suppose this is why I love novels, because novels are not just about what people do, but they’re about what people think.” — Carol Shields
1977, 213 pp.
This wasn’t my favourite book by her, but still good.
Kailana recently posted..BBAW – Day 4: Reading and Blogging
Apparently he trick is how you write the story. It seems to me that even stories and topics that have been discussed a thousand times can be dealt with in new and interesting ways.
After I read Unless, I decided I wanted to read all Carol Shields books too! I haven’t read Larry’s Party yet, but I read Celibate Season (written with Blanche Howard). I think after reading The Garden Box, I’m going to mostly try to read them in order, so see how she progressed as a writer.
I am most looking forward to Swann: a mystery.
I liked how The Garden Box started so slowly, just a character study, then bam!, the last third became this suspenseful adventure. The feminist view of life in the 1970s and seeing how much life has changed was also a historic side of the book. And isn’t it the ugliest cover?
raidergirl3 recently posted..BOOK: Trackers by Deon Meyer
Her first novel, Small Ceremonies, is about Judith, Charleen’s sister. I haven’t read it yet, but I do have the book. I think the hardest one to find is going to be A Fairly Conventional Woman. I’ve never seen that one for a decent price anywhere, or at a library.
I just picked up Small Ceremonies last month at the used store. I don’t think my library has A Conventional Woman either.
raidergirl3 recently posted..BOOK: Trackers by Deon Meyer
Unless is my favorite…
I was overwhelmed by Unless – it was awesome.
raidergirl3 recently posted..BOOK: Trackers by Deon Meyer
I totally agree. I must have marked up at least every other page in that book!
3m recently posted..The Box Garden by Carol Shields
Very ugly cover. I know! I remember the 70s very well, and with fondness, actually. It was a very big deal to get a long distance call!
Oh, I entered the cover in leeswammers’s ugly cover contest, and it is featured this week: http://leeswammes.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/ugly-covers-competition-week-3/
raidergirl3 recently posted..BOOK: Trackers by Deon Meyer
I someday will find this author and red her
Sounds like a good one.
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