before i start, let me remind you that emily giffin's novels are plot-driven. there is nothing astoundingly literary about her novels. though her writing is smooth and clever, there is nothing stylistically and syntactically incredible about her books. BUT. I. LOVE. EVERY. ONE. OF. THEM. the reason is because giffin has this way of telling a story in such a way that i, as the reader, tend to feel every emotion that is portrayed throughout the novel. sometimes i have to read them fast because i tend to get too emotionally involved due to my empathy.
in this story, we follow claudia davenport/parr as she tells the story of the fall-out, separation, and failure of her marriage with her (described as) absolute soul-mate and love of her life ben. all of this heartbreak is due to the plain and simple fact that she does not want a baby after ben, having changed his mind, decides that he does in fact, want to reproduce and raise a child.
the novel follows her every emotion as she wonders, second-guesses, questions, the decision she (THEY) have made. her pain is real, and--as an empathetic reader i can literally feel this--she is emotionally and physically torn between what she wants and what she doesn't want. the conflict between "wants" and "non-wants" is so complex that we are led to wonder whether or not things will ever be resolved.
the questions raised tend to web into each other in such a way that the reader genuinely cares about the outcome of this heartbreaking and seemingly despondent situation: does ben not love claudia enough to sacrifice not having a child? didn't he love claudia before he loved the thought of having a child? why does claudia so stubbornly refuse having a child to the point of emotionally, physically, mentally (and legally) losing the man she loves? why doesn't she ever mention to him her real, deep-down fears of being a mother? can't this be resolved somehow? how, after having loved each other so much, will either of them ever be able to move on?
of course, i will not tell the ending. but i will admit, i cried on more than one occasion while reading this book. giffin does a wonderful job of making the reader carry the burdens of these characters.
and that, in my opinion, is the mark of an incredible writer--making a story come to life.
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