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A review by kjcharles
The Magic Places by Elizabeth Jenner
I loved this book. It's magical.
It's about the spaces between 'secret' and 'solitary' and 'lonely', and about when love works and doesn't, and how we go back and forth between the states. It's about childhood magic, as well--the magic is there, though never quite explained, coexisting with a very realistic story of a solitary woman in a relationship with an older married man. The writing is absolutely beautiful.
There's a piece of seaglass mentioned in the book, and that's what this book reminds me of. Broken and sharp-edged things turned into something beautiful by contact. And like seaglass it's entirely self sufficient, not making great state-of-the-nation points, just quietly there. Related to which, Clare is a brilliant portrait of an introvert. I have rarely felt so much kinship with an MC.
A joy to read. Highly recommended.
Disclaimer: The author is a friend, but I didn't read the book in its gestation period and came to it entirely as a reader. I am friends with a *lot* of authors, it's an inevitable consequence of my line of work, and I don't ever give rave reviews unless I mean them.
It's about the spaces between 'secret' and 'solitary' and 'lonely', and about when love works and doesn't, and how we go back and forth between the states. It's about childhood magic, as well--the magic is there, though never quite explained, coexisting with a very realistic story of a solitary woman in a relationship with an older married man. The writing is absolutely beautiful.
There's a piece of seaglass mentioned in the book, and that's what this book reminds me of. Broken and sharp-edged things turned into something beautiful by contact. And like seaglass it's entirely self sufficient, not making great state-of-the-nation points, just quietly there. Related to which, Clare is a brilliant portrait of an introvert. I have rarely felt so much kinship with an MC.
A joy to read. Highly recommended.
Disclaimer: The author is a friend, but I didn't read the book in its gestation period and came to it entirely as a reader. I am friends with a *lot* of authors, it's an inevitable consequence of my line of work, and I don't ever give rave reviews unless I mean them.