The young woman ahead of him in line at the Hannaford Superstore was unusually fragrant, smelled like wood smoke and dirty clothes and cough drops of maybe Ben-Gay, eucalyptus anyway.She was all but mummified in an enormous coat leaking feathers, some kind of army-issue garment from another era, huge hood pulled over her head.
Description:
Whoo-ee! Another new author "discovered" (by me) this week. Bill Roorbach is his name and his The Remedy for Love is a novel that I can give the highest recommendation to. What makes Roobach's The Remedy for Love so great? To me, when an author can take an ordinary, simple premise and turn it into a complex, unpredictable page-turner with interesting characters you want to hear more about, well, that's a rare skill.
In Remedy Eric, a local lawyer in a small Maine town, notices a young woman in the checkout line of a market. She is obviously down on her luck, poorly dressed, dirty, and possibly homeless. She tries to purchase some odd supplies but finds herself short of money. Eric steps up and pays the difference, much to her irritation. Then, due to the cold conditions and impending snowstorm, he offers her a ride and escort to her isolated ancient cabin. Again, both actions are unappreciated and unwanted by the woman, Danielle.
Through a series of circumstances, Eric and Danielle are unwillingly forced to wait out the snowstorm of the century in this run-down cottage, unable to leave and possibly even survive as the snow mounts up over the door and threatens to collapse the building.
Two people being thrown together by an author is a common theme. But in Roorbach's hands, these are not ordinary people. Full of anger, independence, and personal quirks, they are both unwilling to create any relationship with the other beyond survival. Both are married, but their private histories with these spouses is only slowly uncovered. There is constant tension between Danielle and Eric as their stories, both truthful and fabricated, are brought out over the next tension-filled, freezing cold hours.
Striking, stark, intelligent, and often disjointed, their conversations range over topics of poetry, lawyers (Eric's wife is a lawyer as well), relationships, jigsaw puzzles, college, intimacy, military (Danielle's husband is an Army Ranger in Afghanistan), and philosophy. They (and their conversations) are rambling, irritated, challenging, and intelligent:
Fantastic read on so many levels. Completely unexpected in its twists and turns, whether mental, verbal, or physical. My favorite kind of read. Best of all, Roorbach has written several other books, including novels (Life Among Giants), non-fiction (Temple Stream) and award-winning short story collections (Big Bend). My bedside table is now filled with future reading provided by this Bill Roorbach. Can't wait.
In Remedy Eric, a local lawyer in a small Maine town, notices a young woman in the checkout line of a market. She is obviously down on her luck, poorly dressed, dirty, and possibly homeless. She tries to purchase some odd supplies but finds herself short of money. Eric steps up and pays the difference, much to her irritation. Then, due to the cold conditions and impending snowstorm, he offers her a ride and escort to her isolated ancient cabin. Again, both actions are unappreciated and unwanted by the woman, Danielle.
Through a series of circumstances, Eric and Danielle are unwillingly forced to wait out the snowstorm of the century in this run-down cottage, unable to leave and possibly even survive as the snow mounts up over the door and threatens to collapse the building.
Two people being thrown together by an author is a common theme. But in Roorbach's hands, these are not ordinary people. Full of anger, independence, and personal quirks, they are both unwilling to create any relationship with the other beyond survival. Both are married, but their private histories with these spouses is only slowly uncovered. There is constant tension between Danielle and Eric as their stories, both truthful and fabricated, are brought out over the next tension-filled, freezing cold hours.
Striking, stark, intelligent, and often disjointed, their conversations range over topics of poetry, lawyers (Eric's wife is a lawyer as well), relationships, jigsaw puzzles, college, intimacy, military (Danielle's husband is an Army Ranger in Afghanistan), and philosophy. They (and their conversations) are rambling, irritated, challenging, and intelligent:
"And Henry David [Thoreau], he's all heartbroken, and not even poetry is working, so he wrote down something like that the only remedy for love was to love more. Like love was a disease that cured itself."
"He was quoting Ovid!" Eric said, proud of himself. "The Cure for Love"....
"Ovid, pfft," Danielle said.
"The Larry Flynt of his times! He said the cure for love was to go find more lovers. Among other things. Like focusing on your lover's flaws. Or farming."I won't spoil any more of what happens between or to these people. Suffice to say, these are two very different individuals, difficult to get a complete picture of, but both endlessly fascinating as revealed in their conversations, philosophy, and dreams. Talk (and anger) is all they have to pass the time and the awkwardness of their situation which neither of them desires or wants to prolong beyond the end of the dangerous storm raging outside.
Fantastic read on so many levels. Completely unexpected in its twists and turns, whether mental, verbal, or physical. My favorite kind of read. Best of all, Roorbach has written several other books, including novels (Life Among Giants), non-fiction (Temple Stream) and award-winning short story collections (Big Bend). My bedside table is now filled with future reading provided by this Bill Roorbach. Can't wait.
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Roorbach. Summers with Juliet
Memoirs of Roorbach and the eight summers he spent with Juliet, his future wife, getting to know her, traveling the US, camping, reawakening his New Yorker's long dormant love for nature, and much more.
Rich, Louise Dickinson. We Took to the Woods
Memoirs of Rich who lived in an isolated lodge with her children during the 1930. Full of humor, answers to how she survived (and thrived), and high quality writing to match her storytelling skills. (previously reviewed here)
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