Dept of Speculation

 

I'm late in writing this review, but I'm glad I waited. This slim, compact, powerful book that I read in a single day has been a slow burn. I liked it when I was reading it and when it was done. I see now the impact it had below the surface.

We never know the names of the characters, yet we share their most intimate moments. We see inside them and find ourselves. We see how quickly life moves from infatuation to marriage to dreams to heartbreak to ruin and back, sometimes, to happiness.

We see them fall in love, slowly at first, then to the fruition of marriage. Their story is relatable in its big moments, but more so in the small ones. The quiet reflections on what it means to be a wife and, ultimately, a mother. We see from her perspective as he cheats; we watch her recommit to the life they were trying to build, albeit with much different (more realistic?) expectations.

For me, the most powerful reflections were those on motherhood. What do we give up when we become "someone's mom"? What do we tolerate because of who else is depending on us now. The line below struck me deep in my chest and lives there now. 

This book is a quick read; like I said, I read it in a single day and probably could have read it straight through in a couple of hours. But, don't take that to mean it is simple. It's complex and profound and real.