Ursu, Anne. Spilling Clarence. New York: Hyperion. 2002. Print
First Sentences:
The break room microwave was dead to begin with.
There was no doubt whatever about that. It had been in the process of dying for a great many years; for the psychopharmaceutical employees, the chunky box had always acted as an orangy-brown reminder of bygone decades.
Description:
The break room microwave was dead to begin with.
There was no doubt whatever about that. It had been in the process of dying for a great many years; for the psychopharmaceutical employees, the chunky box had always acted as an orangy-brown reminder of bygone decades.
Description:
In Anne Ursu's brilliant Spilling Clarence, a chemical factory in the small town of Clarence has an accident that releases unknown fumes into the neighborhood. The effects of this spill subtly, slowly cause residents to regain long-forgotten memories from their lives, triggered by a smell, word, image, or dream.
Most don't even realized they spill has affected them. They just know they now are remembering buried thoughts, images, and people. Past relationships are brought to the surface along with incidents of lost opportunities, war experiences, grade school bullying, youthful plans, and suppressed emotions.
The townspeople are ordinary people: a psychology professor raising his eight-year-old daughter; a well-published elderly woman; a graduate student researcher; a young woman working in a retirement home; and a handsome World War II veteran. Their lives are interconnected by the tiniest of threads, but all are affected by the spill in unique ways
For many in Clarence, these visions penetrate their everyday armor, crippling their current images and lives. But for others, the revived memories are treasured and hopefully will implanted into their brains forever.
Ursu takes what could be an ordinary science fiction story and turns the focus not on the spill but rather on the individuals and their reactions to old memories. Because Ursu truly loves and respects these familiar, everyday people, Spilling Clarence becomes a very personal account that totally absorbs the reader. How will he face this painful memory? How will she overcome the knowledge she had forgotten? Will she leave Clarence to start a new life or will she remain and ride out her fears and doubts? Will he be able to face his new life or simply retreat to the safety of his bedroom?
It is a strong, clearly-voiced, thoughtful book that raises many issues on memory, relationships, choices, and family connections. But mainly it is a wonderfully-written story compassionately told about people one grows to care about deeply. Who could ask for more from any book?
Most don't even realized they spill has affected them. They just know they now are remembering buried thoughts, images, and people. Past relationships are brought to the surface along with incidents of lost opportunities, war experiences, grade school bullying, youthful plans, and suppressed emotions.
The townspeople are ordinary people: a psychology professor raising his eight-year-old daughter; a well-published elderly woman; a graduate student researcher; a young woman working in a retirement home; and a handsome World War II veteran. Their lives are interconnected by the tiniest of threads, but all are affected by the spill in unique ways
For many in Clarence, these visions penetrate their everyday armor, crippling their current images and lives. But for others, the revived memories are treasured and hopefully will implanted into their brains forever.
Ursu takes what could be an ordinary science fiction story and turns the focus not on the spill but rather on the individuals and their reactions to old memories. Because Ursu truly loves and respects these familiar, everyday people, Spilling Clarence becomes a very personal account that totally absorbs the reader. How will he face this painful memory? How will she overcome the knowledge she had forgotten? Will she leave Clarence to start a new life or will she remain and ride out her fears and doubts? Will he be able to face his new life or simply retreat to the safety of his bedroom?
It is a strong, clearly-voiced, thoughtful book that raises many issues on memory, relationships, choices, and family connections. But mainly it is a wonderfully-written story compassionately told about people one grows to care about deeply. Who could ask for more from any book?
A woman wakes up each day with no memory of what happened the day before or any days in her past, but doggedly tries to answer questions about her previous life, husband, and family.. (previously reviewed here)
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