A review by silverliningsandpages
Isabelle in the Afternoon by Douglas Kennedy
5.0
Sam, an American student, meets the beautiful, older, intelligent Isabelle in a Paris bookshop. She is married and worldly about love and it’s many contradictions. And so begins a regular arrangement of afternoon liaisons in Isabelle’s apartment, which becomes a true affair of the heart spanning decades.
.
Whilst the theme of infidelity doesn’t sit easily with me, this passionate novel is elegantly and sensitively written. Isabelle in the Afternoon is so much more than a story about a love affair; it doesn’t moralise and yet is about major moral decisions and dilemmas, the effects of which will reverberate throughout life. It explores what we yearn for, what we find and what we settle for, and beautifully conveys how we humans are complex and intricately packaged beings. It realistically deals with issues such as career ambition and progression, parenting, responsibility, adversity, ageing, vulnerability, loneliness and grief: all that is “the flawed nature of life”. This is a fascinating exploration of an intense human connection impacted by bad timing, and whose passion has been untested by domesticity.
.
I liked the parallels with Madame Bovary, Sam’s intellectual/cultural discoveries and developing interests, and the frequent socio-political references, giving the story context. The pacing was great, and there were several jolting twists!
.
Such a deeply poignant, moving book that on one level is about juxtaposed passionate love, domestic love and parental love, and yet on another it is about a journey of self-discovery and fighting fragility to find that inner strength. I’m still thinking about this long after reading and I need to get my hands on more @douglaslkennedy books!
.
Whilst the theme of infidelity doesn’t sit easily with me, this passionate novel is elegantly and sensitively written. Isabelle in the Afternoon is so much more than a story about a love affair; it doesn’t moralise and yet is about major moral decisions and dilemmas, the effects of which will reverberate throughout life. It explores what we yearn for, what we find and what we settle for, and beautifully conveys how we humans are complex and intricately packaged beings. It realistically deals with issues such as career ambition and progression, parenting, responsibility, adversity, ageing, vulnerability, loneliness and grief: all that is “the flawed nature of life”. This is a fascinating exploration of an intense human connection impacted by bad timing, and whose passion has been untested by domesticity.
.
I liked the parallels with Madame Bovary, Sam’s intellectual/cultural discoveries and developing interests, and the frequent socio-political references, giving the story context. The pacing was great, and there were several jolting twists!
.
Such a deeply poignant, moving book that on one level is about juxtaposed passionate love, domestic love and parental love, and yet on another it is about a journey of self-discovery and fighting fragility to find that inner strength. I’m still thinking about this long after reading and I need to get my hands on more @douglaslkennedy books!