Date published: October 2008
ISBN 978-0-553-80741-7
Women's Fiction
Hardcover
Reviewed by Pam
Sam and Hadley West separate as grief overcomes them after the death of their son. Paul West had been on the way to teach at a school in Alaska, when the plane crashed.
Hadley goes to live in a haunted cottage off the Maine coast, taking up art to bury her sadness.
Sam goes to Alaska, seeking answers and to try to make sense of his son’s death, as he goes by sled to the site of the wreck. The dogs and their owner brought some light relief into the story as did the travellers they met.
They write letters to each other, the contents stark and truthful, melting the ice of grief surrounding their hearts. Total separation makes the past memories of how good they once were together come back. They begin to discuss why they fell in love as Winter closes in on them both. Neither of them seemed to understand why the tragedy happened, but were unsure what to do now.
THE LETTERS is poignant story, as the characters explore what happens when a terrible loss happens in a family. How feelings ebb and flow, changing direction like the tides as they each pour out onto the paper how it really is for them. This reviewer found it sad and deeply depressing as they struggle with the right words.
It’s a wee bit maudlin in parts, but will be ideal for those who prefer raw human feelings in their books, and don’t mind feeling the sadness emanating from the pages. The writers have obviously put their hearts and souls into the book, but it is something not many could pull off successfully. The main characters are well drawn and by the end you know more about them and their feelings, than you will your own. The other characters were an eclectic mixture of monks, artists and the intriguing Martha with the dog sleds, as she mushed with Sam into the frozen wilderness.
No comments:
Post a Comment