The first two-thirds, or so, of this book is set a day or two before Christmas 1971 in the city of Chicago. There’s snow on the way. Associate pastor Russ Hildebrandt, full of doubt and anger, is tempted by a charming widow of his acquaintance, Frances, and beginning to convince himself that his marriage is not worth pursuing. There’s also the problem of his disgrace at the hands of younger colleague Russ, who took over the Crossroads encounter group for the younger members of the congregation. But it’s a while before we get the back-story for this.
Russ’s stream of consciousness is interwoven with that of three of the family’s four kids. Perry first, too clever for his own good, selling weed to younger schoolkids, including the son of Frances. Becky is the cheerleader beauty and leader of a small clique of schoolgirl Heathers. She idolises and misses her older brother, Clem, who is away at college. The youngest son, protege of Perry, next youngest, is only mentioned in passing.
After a run of less-than-astonishing, but perfectly readable novels, this is a definite return to form for Franzen. Possibly I should say return to the formula that worked so well with The Corrections. His non-fiction pieces have been wonderful though (e.g. How To Be Alone.)
Best of all, potentially, this is the first in a planned trilogy - Franzen’s Pension Fund I would assume. The novel eventually moves further forward and covers quite a long time-span in it’s final third (two years or so, I lost track a little). I imagine the next two books will bring the story up to date.
I especially liked how we get to know Marion only through other peoples’ lens until, finally, her history comes into the foreground and… she’s absolutely lovely. Up until then she was shaping up as a real malign fulcrum for the family. She plays the role of the minister’s wife pretty well, but has appeared in some other acts too, as we find out. My favourite character in the book.
Another fantastic section was Becky’s experience of getting stoned for the first time… and finding God (and chive bread, which sounds fantastic…). What is chive bread? Do they sell it in proper shops, not Waitrose, I mean…?
Another highlight is a chilling chapter where Perry is led off for a Big Score.
All the Blue State Issues Of Concern are ticked off as we go along: drugs, feminism, Vietnam, philanthropy, social justice, and oodles of God-botheration. None of these, nor a few clunkily engineered sections, take anything away from a brilliantly entertaining family saga. Very much in the John Irving mould (no wrestling that I can recall though) and warmly recommended.