French Braid; Anne Tyler
Knopf 3/22/2022 and Random House Audio
(9+ hours - narrated by Kimberly Farr (very good)
"Nobody outside a marriage has any real notion of what goes on inside."
It's 1959 and time to meet the all American family - The Garretts - Mercy and Robin (mother and father) and their (3) children: Alice and Lily are teens and David is the youngest child. Father, Robin is running the family hardware store in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Robin is sort of removed from the daily life of his children. The mother, Mercy, tends to the needs of her children but, she is far from a warm and comforting sort of mother. She is unfulfilled with her life, her marriage and, her real passion seems to be her art. The children: Alice is responsible and the one who likes to follow the rules, Lily is perhaps too boy crazy for her own good and young David seems confused; he longs to be grown up yet still very much a child who needs reassurance.
As the story begins in 1959, Robin decides that the family should take a vacation. It will be their first and last vacation as a family. We follow the Garrett family from 1959 through the present day. This is an expansive yet quiet, poignant, reflective kind of story about family. There are special moments to be shared but, also there is that secret desire to break free from the family.
I thought the Garrett family felt cold, there was not a lot of emotion but, in reality that is just how some families are. There was one particular scene on a train involving the grandmother and her granddaughter which will forever be etched in my mind when I think about this book. In some ways the mother, Mercy reminded me of Delia in Ladder of the Years, a book I finally read a few months ago and loved - she too was an unfulfilled mother needing something more than what her marriage and children provided.
If you are wondering about the significance of the title French Braid it is this - when a hair braid is undone crimps and crinkles remain -- "that's how families work too. You think you're free of them but, you're never really free! The ripples are crimped forever." Not my favorite Anne Tyler novel but, I'm certainly happy I experienced it. No one writes about family like Anne Tyler, an author who is not afraid to show us human frailties in her flawed characters.
Thanks go to Knopf Publishing and Random House Audio for allowing me access to the eGalley as well as the audio download in exchange for my unbiased review.
Rating - 4.5/5 stars
I love that french braid reference - so true!
ReplyDeleteI have not read any Anne Tyler book - I believe I have couple of hers at home so maybe someday I'll get to them.
She writes so well about families. I hope you try her sometime.
DeleteI can't wait to read this one. Your review just makes me want to read it even sooner.
ReplyDeleteI have several older ones of hers to catch up on, maybe this year. I hope you enjou this one Deb.
DeleteCan't wait to read this one! Anne Tyler was an "audio author" for me for years, but I read her last two in print since that was available from the library. I like Kimberly Farr, so will probably use an audible credit this time.
ReplyDeleteI like Kimberly Farr a lot but, sometimes I feel like I miss some important things I would have reread had I seen it in print.
DeleteI've had Anne Tyler recommended to me for years and still not got around to reading any of her books. What is your favourite book by her, that you would recommend to someone?
ReplyDeleteI still have some earlier ones of hers to catch up on but, (2) of my favorites were Noah's Compass and Ladder of the Years,
DeleteThanks, Diane, I've made a note.
DeleteSomething about your synopsis brings to mind The Children's Crusade by Ann Packer. Maybe the distant parents and the artistic mother. Tyler is a hit-or-miss author for me, so I may skip the audio and get the book from the library.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't recall whether I read that Ann Packer book so I checked. I read it in 2015 and remember very little about it even though I rated it 4/5 stars.
DeleteAs much as I like Anne Tyler, I'm not sure I would love this particular novel.
ReplyDeleteI can understand that - I loved the writing but, I almost wish it didn't cover so many decades.
DeleteI can understand that when there are many characters and long periods of time as well.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a really interesting family!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think there probably more than a few families like them around.
ReplyDeleteHmm. You seem a bit lukewarm about it. Is there any humor in this one?
ReplyDeleteI did like it; if there was humor, I missed it.
DeleteI really like that idea of a braid leaving kinks in someone's hair and how it compares to a family. Nicely phrased.
ReplyDeleteI kept wondering about the significance of the title all the way through and it is finally revealed - it was so appropriate.
DeleteThis one is on my list, and I'm glad to know you felt so positively about it. I'm looking forward to--eventually--getting a copy!
ReplyDeleteIt's not my favorite but, I did enjoy it. She still writes so well even at 80.
DeleteI love Anne Tyler's books and have added a few to my shelves that I've already read, but want to reread, like The Ladder of Years.
ReplyDeleteI have pre-ordered French Braid...and love the reference to the crimps in families that remain.
So true about the "crimps in families that remain." I still have a few of her early ones to catch up on.
DeleteSo many blog reviews are kind of lukewarm about French Braid that I haven't rushed out to get the latest Anne Tyler the way I usually do. I love her work and plan to reread her early novels later this year, beginning with Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. I think I'll put off French Braid for a little while. Happy to see that you liked it so much.
ReplyDeleteI did like it - she continues to write about people and families so well. I wasn't thrilled that it covered so many decades though.
DeleteI still have a few of her earliest novels that I need to read. The Accidental Tourist is one of them.
Okay. I had top pop on by to see what you thought of this one because I have a review copy and I am looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not one of my favorites by Tyler but, certainly a good enough story. It just covered too many years IMO.
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