on chesil beach
Two newlyweds have trouble consummating their marriage, for many complicated reasons.
THIS ONE WAS GOOOOOD !!!!
I was reading the synopsis again and I got chills. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who wants to read it, so i’ll just do my best to encourage you to.
Zadie recommended this book to me, and she has great taste in literature. It’s one of those quiet tragedies. Which are my favourite. They lull you into a sense of comfort that they don’t break violently, but slowly bend and twist until you come out of the book looking at everything a little differently.
It’s a book about what could have been. About the perils of being dishonest through silence. It shows you a different take on consequence and domino effects. One that is not quite so abrupt and decisive, but a maybe type one. Maybe things could have been different or maybe not. Maybe feelings can change and maybe they can become stronger. And the real tragedy is never knowing and making your bed and lying in it tearing up, not knowing if you’re better off than you would have been.
Literary matchmaker Eve strikes again! Meg’s take:
“Gosh unbearably tense. If you’ve ever experienced problems with sexual intimacy in your relationships this will make you feel sad and seen. A book to make feel sorry for women. A book to make you marvel at how men rate themselves. Special shout out the final 30 pages, where you realise the female half of the narrative has quietly been erased, and you’re left with only the male fantasy/memory of a woman. It’s so emblematic of the vibe of male insecurity where they think women just ‘work differently’ like – no man we’re all human beings you just need to communicate.”
So interesting to compare Meg’s take with mine – she, pained by woman’s discomfort and man’s oblivion, and me, gutpunched by the quiet trauma of indecision and unknown parallel lives. Both so emotional! A great read.
if you enjoyed on chesil beach you might enjoy:
absolutely & forever
Rose Tremain
hot milk
Deborah Levy