Many theories about the mental state of a married woman are tossed up for inspection by the male characters in the book, none of them flattering. Most of the decisions the characters make depend on the opinions of others (whether to marry, to have a child out of wedlock, a salon visit) and then they wonder why those decisions don't play out well. And, of course, this reader had to wonder why Marian is so surprised that her body is rejecting nourishment when she has to get drunk in order to see her life for what it is.
I hope this book is dated (aside from the blue flashbulbs) in terms of societal attitudes. I know that I went through a sort of spiritual life/death struggle while I was married previously. I think that today's women old enough to face this choice have taken back enough strength and identity to get through it in a sane fashion.
[originally posted on BookCrossing 3/11/03]
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