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Thursday, March 16, 2017

Resilience and Redemption: A Deep Dive into Karen White's 'The Sound of Glass'

The Sound of GlassThe Sound of Glass by Karen White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Year read: 2015

You may have noticed that I've been hard on the last few realistic fiction books I reviewed. Well, that ends here. In fact, I've had a hard time thinking of anything critical to say about The Sound of Glass. Karen White has created a fantastic set of characters, broken and flawed but worthy of compassion.

At its core, The Sound of Glass is about an unlikely sisterhood of survivors of domestic violence. They are tied together across decades and by coincidence. Every character has tragedy in their background (or in their present). Each chapter shifts in voice between characters. In the current time, there is Merritt, the recent widow of a violent man, and Loralee, Merritt's step-mom, who is only five years older. With a voice spanning across the decades before, from 1955 to 1993, the reader hears Edith's perspective. Edith owns the grand Southern home, which is the backdrop to the story. She was the grandmother of Merritt's recently deceased husband. Merritt finds herself inheriting this old house, half a country (and, practically, a whole world) away from the only home she has ever known in Maine.

Ms. White took a rather complicated storyline with a complex set of characters. She wove them beautifully together into a story of new chances and redemptions. My favorite character was Loralee. Though all the characters in the book exhibited strength and grace (especially when they didn't believe themselves to possess either), Loralee was the one who helped build up and fortify everyone else. She had more strength, sass, and constitution in her pinky than most of us have in our whole bodies. And she did it all in lipstick and high heels. A reader who has never lived in the South may not find her character believable. However, having lived in Alabama for 15 years (Loralee's home state), she is entirely plausible - a steel magnolia.

When a book covers a trigger issue - in this case, domestic violence - I like to touch on it so readers who may be sensitive to the topic can make an informed decision. While domestic violence is this book's central theme, no scenes graphically depict it. There are references to what happened - a hand broken in a car door, being held underwater - but all references are made in remembrance or in the words of a letter. There is one first-hand account when the abusive grandson slaps Edith in one of her "flashback" chapters. This book is mainly about the victims finding themselves again and being strong.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's literature, realistic fiction, and books set in the South. The book also has a significant mystery element for those who like a good mystery. Both Merritt and her late husband hid secrets from each other. As such, much of the book is about Merritt uncovering his secrets and revealing her own. Be sure to keep a box of tissues handy!

I received a complimentary copy of The Sound of Glass in exchange for my honest review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

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