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A familiar topic: women turning 30, going to clubs, wondering what their lives amount to. Here Haley, Roise and Maggie, who've known each other since childhood, share a literally crumbling house in Belfast. But relationships between them are very frayed, especially since their fourth roommate, Lydia, died. They try to have fun but are burdened by past traumas, betrayals, and shaky self-esteem. The characters are very well-drawn, which is why I was willing to undergo so many funky mornings- after in their company.
In coastal Maine, the eponymous eel is an important source of income, along with crabs. They get shipped to Japan as tiny elvers where they mature and become sashimi. Illegal harvesters are depleting this very lucrative resource. Jeanette, whose husband skipped out on her, is a crab picker, a waitress, and a cancer survivor. She finds her ex's empty boat adrift, and this starts a search that leads her into dangerous waters, literally and figuratively. Bad guys, crooked politicians, and a policeman who doesn't want to rock the boat don't help. Jeanette gets assistance from an eccentric environmentalist, as well as from Lottie, a pissed off Native American who picks crab with her, and a young policeman who grew up with Jeanette's now deceased son and feels he has a moral obligation to her. Down home atmosphere and lively action make for a compelling read.
Gordon, a charming, well-respected doctor, has an excellent reputation and is very well liked. But at home he keeps his wife Cora under terrifyingly close control which erupts into periodic physical abuse. When their new baby is born, she doesn’t want him to carry father’s name or his nature. Three scenarios unfold. In the first, she names the baby Bear, which was his older sister's idea. In the second, he's named Julian. In the third, she follows Gordon's wishes. Each story unfolds in 7-year increments with different outcomes, but all show how trauma and secrets can warp everyone who undergoes such experiences. There's a lot of pain and tragedy in this book, but some redemption at the end. It was an emotional workout, and I found the structure absolutely fascinating.
On Cape Cod, protagonist Rocky becomes obsessed with a local accident in which a young man parked on the railroad tracks met his end as the train collided with him. Rocky is Rachel’s nickname, which turns out to be prophetic, as things become increasingly difficult on a number of fronts after the tragedy. The question of how and why this occured stirs things up in her family, as well as all over town. Her father, Mort, has moved in after his wife died, and he's a piece of work. He tries to be agreeable but is pretty persnickety. Her daughter Willa is already hyper-anxious. And Rocky has developed a very mysterious, disfiguring autoimmune disease. Sometimes it seems as if everything in this family is wrecked, but there's a surprising and delightful strain of humor that kept me cheering for this benighted yet resilient crew.
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