Leaving
Leaving ~ Roxanne Robinson
Sarah and Warren dated in college. He loved her completely, and while she also loved him, the ideas she has brought with her from her childhood, of what a woman could say to a man, how open one could be in a relationship, lead to a misunderstanding, and they break up. They both marry and have children and careers. Sarah’s marriage does not last, and when she and Warren bump into each other at a performance of the opera Tosca, she is long divorced, while he is still married.
Now in their early 60s, they rekindle their love in an extramarital affair. She believes that she is blameless, as she is not married. She is not having an affair, he is. Both Sarah and Warren are very close to their adult children, and their relationships with their children, the obligations that they have, the promises they have made, play a deep role in how the story ends.
Roberts is a beautiful writer, and this story is very moving. Recommended if you don’t have an aversion to stories that include infidelity.
What’s with all the book reviews? I’m participating in NaBloPoMo this month, writing a post a day. I decided that I would write about the books that I have read this year. For more NaBloPoMo participants, check out San’s list.
3 Comments
nance
Such a fine distinction regarding who is having the affair. That’s interesting. I might take a look at this one since you say the writing is beautiful.
I’m becoming so frustrated with contemporary fiction lately; I’m thinking of a return to nonfiction.
Lisa’s Yarns
I also really liked this book and gave it 5 stars. I usually don’t like books about infidelity but this one was different for me since they were older and it showed some of the consequences of infidelity. My friend read this and did not like it at all, though! She especially hated the ending. It would make a great book club book, though!
Maya
This is going to be my book club recommendation because we’re all in this age range.
Can I also say, I’m so, so glad that we have women past thirty as protagonists in fiction now? That wasn’t a thing until at least this century, I think.