innside

Compared to William Faulkner, Jayne Anne Phillips’ writing style is one that you either love or hate. Well, hate may be a strong reaction to this book, but suffice it to say, I didn’t like it. The story, of a family formed from a sister, a severely disabled brother and their aunt, is, however, rich and beautiful. Phillips writes in four part narrative, from the perspectives of the above three and the father, a soldier who his killed fighting in the Korean war. It’s this narrative that creates much of my dislike of the book. The storyline jumps and skips and becomes a mystical jumble, especially when the perspective changes to Termite, the disabled boy. I enjoyed the soldier’s narrative most of all, and I didn’t even mind some of the supernatural elements, but with the exception of the end (which was gripping!), I struggled through this novel. I understand why Lark & Termite was a National Book Award finalist, but frankly, I didn’t enjoy reading it. This creates a dilemma for me when rating it. I don’t believe it captures the depth of similar works, and that, coupled with the ennui I suffered reading Lark & Termite, pushes down the number of stars I am able to give it.

2023-01-16 12:12