In Julavits'
third novel, she once again continues to explore the intricacies of psychology and the human mind to tell the story of Mary Veal - a woman who was apparently abducted, and sexually abused as a teenager. Mary's mother - a cold woman, who does not believe her daughter's story - sends her to Dr.Hammer, a psychologist who believes Mary got her story from a novel she had read, projecting it outward as a cry for attention. Mary's mother allows Dr.Hammer to write a book based on the case, because she would rather have Mary be a liar than a real victim.Fifteen years later, Mary comes home to Boston to bury her mother and finds a letter that gives Mary suspicion that her mother was planning to finally reconcile their animosities. This takes her down a path to relive the events and the people involved, and to deal with the aftershock of the traumatic event that took place years ago.
Critique
Heidi Julavits theme in the book is touchy, and realistic for the times. She has woven an intricate pattern of lies and the effect of telling them with areas so gray and vague (including the title "What Might Have Happened" when the events shift to Mary's ordeal), that the reader could only speculate what was true or not. The use of two perspectives gives a different view of the events that happened in both past and present (which Julavits works seamlessly together) and allows for the reader to determine what really happened fifteen years ago, and what affect it has on the character's life now.
"Potent and intoxicating; a dangerously seductive book." Kirkus Reviews
Similar Books to Check :
No comments:
Post a Comment