Friday, February 23, 2007

The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian

I have read quite a few of Bohjalian's novels and I liked all but one, Before You Know Kindness, because I didn't like any of the characters.

The Double Bind on the other hand was wonderful. It had a nice blend of characters, good and bad, and a mystery that sucked me right in. It has a major connection to The Great Gatsby making me want to go back and reread that greatest of American novels. In fact I think I am going to suggest that my bookgroup read Fitzgerald one month and Bohjalian the next because I think the discussion would be great.

A little about the book, but not enough to spoil it: Laurel is a young woman who was deeply damaged by a visious attack by two crazed men when she is out biking on a back road in Vermont. She saves herself by clinging to the bike, but is still injured and the attack has long term affects on her life. She never bikes again, she dates older men, she kind of drops out of her peer society and focuses all of her energy on her photography and her job with BEDS, a homeless shelter where she feels safe and as if she is giving back to the community.

When a homeless man named Bobby dies, of old age, it is discovered he has a cache of photographs that he presumably took and that were the most important thing in the world to him. Laurel's boss asks her to work with the photos and maybe curate a showing to both honor Bobby and to raise money for BEDS.

Laurel become fascenated with the photos and soon realizes that they have a connection to her own life including a photo of herself on a bike on a backroad, very possibly on the day she was attacked. She becomes compelled to solve the mystery of Bobby and possibly of herself.

That is the setup. I hope I have made it sound as good as it is. Bohjalian is a beautiful writer. He puts the reader right in the head of his character and lets you feel what she feels. As early as it is in the year, I have a feeling this one will go on my best of 2007 list. Get it, read it, and let me know what you thought.

7 comments:

Literary Feline said...

I have only read one Chris Bohjalian novel, Before You Know Kindness. I loved the author's writing, but like you, found it difficult to like any of the characters. I am very much looking forward to reading The Double Bind. It's at the top of my wish list. Thanks for a great review!

Lisa Jean said...

I hope you love as much as I did. I really like Tran-Sister Radio and Water Witches too. Let me know what you thought after you read it.

BabelBabe said...

I saw it at the library and did not pick it up. I will request it right now. It sounds good, and I enjoyed his Midwives, and Law of Similars.

Lisa Jean said...

I'm surprised it was in at your library. Our system has 145 holds on it already.

Anonymous said...

I have a love/hate relationship with Bohjalian's books, although more on the love side. They perplex me. I'll have to pick this one up.

Lisa Jean said...

Jess, I would say give it a try. I haven't liked some of his stuff either, but this one was really different and the Great Gatsby tie in was kind of neat.

Unknown said...

I did request my book club read The Great Gatsby and The Double Bind for our summer reading. I loved how the author wove fictional characters from the GG into his novel to make them seem real. I absolutely loved the twist at the end. It makes you think about the novel for days!