The skillful construction of Mercy Street (2022) escaped me until I began writing my book journal entry about Jennifer Haigh's compelling novel. How recently have you had a similar experience as a reader? What was it that brought you to a deeper appreciation for the author's craft? More time to process what you'd read? A conversation? Or, did writing about the book - as I did - get you there?
Although the prose throughout Mercy Street is sturdy ("The couch embraced her like quicksand."), it never intrudes on the straightforward story of Claudia Birch, a semi-adrift thirty something woman who works at an embattled women's health clinic in Boston. Until the final pages I didn't realize how the author had given me just enough of Claudia's back story to make the novel's moving denouement wholly believable. And each piece I learned about the three other main characters drew me in just as effectively. In Haigh's capable hands, the meaningful intersection of these four lives held me from first sentence to last. What a joy it was to be swept along so completely.
Just before starting Mercy Street, I was browsing in my local library. I had on my mind the names of several authors I wanted to re-visit having read just one novel by each over the last fifteen years, but each of those novels had knocked me out. A few years from now when I'm in a similar browsing mood, unsure what to choose next, I can easily envision Jennifer Haigh's name coming to me then like the names of Leif Enger (Peace Like a River - 2001), Jaimy Gordon (Lord of Misrule - 2010), and Lloyd Jones (Mister Pip - 2006) came to me on my most recent hunt. That's some good company you're in Jennifer.
I loved Mercy Street and I'm so glad you mentioned Mister Pip. Most people don't seem to know the latter, but it is such an inventive story. If you want a book that will knock your socks off, try Sebastian Barry's Days Without End. It's an extraordinary blend of brutality and deeply warm feelings. Also, Deacon King Kong by James McBride which is a tour de force of language and laugh-out-loud funny.
ReplyDeleteJim; It's good having you as a new commenter on my blog, especially since you're such an omnivorous reader. Because both books you recommended to me offline recently - "This is Happiness" and "Say Nothing" - were both peak reading experiences, the other two you recommend here - both by authors I've previously enjoyed a great deal - are already on my (unmanageable) "to read" list. If you are still reading my blog when I finish either or both, you may end up seeing a post about one or both. Thanks a lot for the comment.
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