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A review by thaurisil
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
5.0
This is the second time I've read The Stone Diaries, and once again I'm struck by the beauty of the prose, the author's ability to convey complex insights and emotions, the adaptability of the language to the era, be it the 1900s or the 1990s, and most of all, the vivid characterisation.
The book traces the life of Daisy Goodwill, from her birth accompanied by her mother's death, through two marriages, the first of which ended prematurely after her husband's death on their honeymoon. After her second husband's death, we see her attempts to find fulfillment through work and her subsequent depression, right through to her death. Despite this being an autobiography of Daisy's life, we know more about the motivations, dreams and personalities of the numerous characters in her life, all realistically and succinctly sketched for us, than about Daisy herself. Even the theories regarding the causes of her middle-aged depression reflect more the priorities her individual friends and family members have than the real cause of her sorrow.
What is significant in life? Cuyler Goodwill, Daisy's father, becomes a successful businessman, yet he quickly fades once past his prime, and his last thought before dying is the wife of his youth who died prematurely in childbirth. Magnus Flett, Daisy's father-in-law, refuses to compromise pride to pursue his estranged wife, yet he eventually memorises Jane Eyre, a book that a tough man like him would otherwise never read, out of remembrance of his wife. Daisy herself undergoes a lifelong quest for her place in her own life, for authenticity in the midst of the tragic events that overwhelm her, and in the absence of a mother, for ancestral roots to anchor her to this world. As Daisy seeks a sense of belonging, her personality seems submerged. She struggles to please those around her so much so that we never know the true Daisy; even her children do not know the true Daisy.
Other concepts explored include the mismatch of desires and reality, the making and breaking of lives, the distortions of memory, and the cycle of life that constantly turns and leaves us to make do with what we have. On the whole this is an excellent thought-provoking book that explores the role of the 20th century woman. I look forward to reading Carol Shields' other works.
The book traces the life of Daisy Goodwill, from her birth accompanied by her mother's death, through two marriages, the first of which ended prematurely after her husband's death on their honeymoon. After her second husband's death, we see her attempts to find fulfillment through work and her subsequent depression, right through to her death. Despite this being an autobiography of Daisy's life, we know more about the motivations, dreams and personalities of the numerous characters in her life, all realistically and succinctly sketched for us, than about Daisy herself. Even the theories regarding the causes of her middle-aged depression reflect more the priorities her individual friends and family members have than the real cause of her sorrow.
What is significant in life? Cuyler Goodwill, Daisy's father, becomes a successful businessman, yet he quickly fades once past his prime, and his last thought before dying is the wife of his youth who died prematurely in childbirth. Magnus Flett, Daisy's father-in-law, refuses to compromise pride to pursue his estranged wife, yet he eventually memorises Jane Eyre, a book that a tough man like him would otherwise never read, out of remembrance of his wife. Daisy herself undergoes a lifelong quest for her place in her own life, for authenticity in the midst of the tragic events that overwhelm her, and in the absence of a mother, for ancestral roots to anchor her to this world. As Daisy seeks a sense of belonging, her personality seems submerged. She struggles to please those around her so much so that we never know the true Daisy; even her children do not know the true Daisy.
Other concepts explored include the mismatch of desires and reality, the making and breaking of lives, the distortions of memory, and the cycle of life that constantly turns and leaves us to make do with what we have. On the whole this is an excellent thought-provoking book that explores the role of the 20th century woman. I look forward to reading Carol Shields' other works.