The Liar’s Wife: Four Novellas by Mary Gordon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Literary fiction does not fit the genre mold and often comes under fire for slow starts, slow pacing, and weak plot. That may be, but I prefer rich characterization and a story with a strong aha moment that dawns on me gradually or shocks me into a new understanding. The Liar’s Wife is such a book. Of the four novellas, the first, for which the book is titled, and the last, “Fine Arts,” are my favorites. True to life, in “The Liar’s Wife” a mismatched couple hit the rocks, recriminations happen, and then a tender moment puts all things into perspective. In “Fine Arts,” an academic has the requisite affair, demonstrates the appropriate passion for her subject of study, and then is driven by true passion to commit a crime that redefines her life. This is the stuff our lives are truly made of.

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Application

Like any sermon worth its salt, good literary fiction often has an application–a lesson you can apply to your circumstances. So as not to give away the ending, I will generalize about one of the lessons I took away from “Fine Arts.” When you don’t know what to do, look for someone to tell you where to begin. “…And then you’ll do the next thing, and then something else…Here’s to not knowing what to do.”

Being a plotter and a planner, I sometimes feel uncomfortable with loose ends. Like Theresa,I keep an eye out for larger connections in everyday events, and I believe I will eventually fit the puzzle pieces together. Like Theresa, I realize that the timing isn’t under my control, it will happen on its own. What does that mean to me? The mystery of life is not dependent upon my ability to complete the puzzle. it will happen in time, and if I am mindful, I will notice. There is freedom in that.