A review by bkbarons
The Map of True Places: A Novel by Brunonia Barry
4.0
I finished the book last night and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. More so, even, than the Lace Reader (which I also liked). I received Map of True Places at BEA and was able to get it autographed.
My friend lives in Marblehead and my husband and I spent a few days up there for his wedding 3 years ago. I enjoyed reading about both Marblehead and Salem in this book - it really took me back.
**************SPOILERS*************************
I enjoyed following Zee through her journey to find herself. I thought as a character, she was very realistically written in terms of her inabilities to deal with the personal and professional problems she was having.
One of the things I particularly liked about this book was the way the relationship between Finch and Melville was portrayed. So many times in literature homosexual relationships are either caricaturized or are written as dysfunctional. I think Barry did an outstanding job of revealing the depth of emotion, the heartbreak, the respect and devotion that Melville felt for Finch. Obviously during the time period of the novel, it was not necessarily mutual, but when looking through Melville and Zee's eyes it is clear how much Finch truly loved Melville.
The other aspect of the story that really touched me was the caregiver role that Zee was forced into. That touched me deeply, reminding me of my mother and the role she had to play for both my grandfather and my father. It can be such a emotionally and mentally draining (not to mention physically exhausting) responsibility. Being torn between wanting the best for your loved one, wanting to 'fix them' and keep them around for you, and the idea of wanting them to not be in pain and misery is one of the hardest thing a human has to deal with. The choice between the "selfish" act of 'saving' someone becuase you love them too much to lose them and the 'unselfish' choice of letting them out of their misery is incomprehensibly difficult - and I think the book did a fabulous job handling that decision.
On a side note, having never been in therapy or seen a psychologist, this book reinforced my stereotypes of the profession. I doubt this was the intention, but I definitely didnt view either of the psychiatrists in the book as particularly helpful or effective. The 'i can't offer advice' or answer questions policy seems so asinine. The fact that Zee was considered in violation of protocal becuase she tried to actively help a woman being abused disturbed me greatly. Im sure there are many people who stand fully behind the value of psychiatrists, but I have never been one, and this only made me feel just a bit more vindicated.
Some criticism: The amount of coincidences and trajedy that happened to this one woman seemed just a bit far fetched. 1) her mother was bi-polar 2) her father had Parkinsons and developed Alzheimers 3) Her mother commited suicide 4) Her father considered suicide 5) Her patient that closely resembles her mother commits suicide AND she unknowingly develops a romantic relationship with her patient's 'crush', for lack of a better word 6) Her father's gay lover turns out to have met and impregnated her mother befoer ever meeting her father 7) Her attempted rape by the man who drove her patient to commit suicide and framed her boyfriend
Just seems like a lot for one character to deal with in only 400 pages! Other than that slight suspension of disbelief for the above, I really liked how the story unfolded.
My friend lives in Marblehead and my husband and I spent a few days up there for his wedding 3 years ago. I enjoyed reading about both Marblehead and Salem in this book - it really took me back.
**************SPOILERS*************************
I enjoyed following Zee through her journey to find herself. I thought as a character, she was very realistically written in terms of her inabilities to deal with the personal and professional problems she was having.
One of the things I particularly liked about this book was the way the relationship between Finch and Melville was portrayed. So many times in literature homosexual relationships are either caricaturized or are written as dysfunctional. I think Barry did an outstanding job of revealing the depth of emotion, the heartbreak, the respect and devotion that Melville felt for Finch. Obviously during the time period of the novel, it was not necessarily mutual, but when looking through Melville and Zee's eyes it is clear how much Finch truly loved Melville.
The other aspect of the story that really touched me was the caregiver role that Zee was forced into. That touched me deeply, reminding me of my mother and the role she had to play for both my grandfather and my father. It can be such a emotionally and mentally draining (not to mention physically exhausting) responsibility. Being torn between wanting the best for your loved one, wanting to 'fix them' and keep them around for you, and the idea of wanting them to not be in pain and misery is one of the hardest thing a human has to deal with. The choice between the "selfish" act of 'saving' someone becuase you love them too much to lose them and the 'unselfish' choice of letting them out of their misery is incomprehensibly difficult - and I think the book did a fabulous job handling that decision.
On a side note, having never been in therapy or seen a psychologist, this book reinforced my stereotypes of the profession. I doubt this was the intention, but I definitely didnt view either of the psychiatrists in the book as particularly helpful or effective. The 'i can't offer advice' or answer questions policy seems so asinine. The fact that Zee was considered in violation of protocal becuase she tried to actively help a woman being abused disturbed me greatly. Im sure there are many people who stand fully behind the value of psychiatrists, but I have never been one, and this only made me feel just a bit more vindicated.
Some criticism: The amount of coincidences and trajedy that happened to this one woman seemed just a bit far fetched. 1) her mother was bi-polar 2) her father had Parkinsons and developed Alzheimers 3) Her mother commited suicide 4) Her father considered suicide 5) Her patient that closely resembles her mother commits suicide AND she unknowingly develops a romantic relationship with her patient's 'crush', for lack of a better word 6) Her father's gay lover turns out to have met and impregnated her mother befoer ever meeting her father 7) Her attempted rape by the man who drove her patient to commit suicide and framed her boyfriend
Just seems like a lot for one character to deal with in only 400 pages! Other than that slight suspension of disbelief for the above, I really liked how the story unfolded.