The Way the Crow Flies
Wow, what a bad 830 page book. And wow, I finished it.
I know, though, that we don't have time to waste in life. There are so many amazing books available, it's almost a crime to read a dud. I told myself this many times while reading, but something kept me from closing the book with disdain. What it is is still a bit of a mystery to me.
The story?
Basically, it's Madeleine's. As a little girl, she lives in Centralia, a village in Canada that happens to be the base for air force soldiers. It's a transitional town, since no one stays there very long. The family is normal, typical of the post-war period. Married parents, a little boy and a little girl. That's the first 200 pages or so.
Soon, it becomes clear that Madeleine's teacher is sexually abusing her and a few other girls in her class. Meanwhile, her father helps a Russian to enter the country illegally.
Around the 500th page, a little girl is murdered. A trial takes place, an innocent man is locked up.
Madeleine grows up, becomes a successful lesbian actress. Another 300 pages.
And finally, the punch of the century: she deduces who is responsible for the murder of the little girl.
The end.
If this had been a suspenseful book, I could have explained my persistence. But at 800 very long pages, it's not.
The style?
Everything happens slowly, everything is detailed, there is no real action, a real country novel. And yet, once again, it is not. The descriptions are not particularly beautiful and they are often unnecessary.
When I told my friends that I was reading a boring book, they all asked me why I kept reading it. And I said it's because I like boring books. They're zen, they don't evoke a lot of emotion, you feel like you have all the time in the world. You can leave the book aside for a whole week without missing it. I think that's pretty cool.
The characters?
One criterion of a good book for me is if the characters are realistic enough to relate to. The novel was very realistic, but the characters lacked depth. I didn't understand them. Madeleine was far from me, she was a bit strange, I didn't like her very much. Her brother is often featured, but still we don't know him either. And her parents are so clichéd, it makes you feel uncomfortable.
My hypothesis
I still finished the book for two main reasons: its slow pace and its size. I like boring books, and a big book is a challenge for me. I want to take it on. And when I read 200 pages and nothing significant happens, I expect a miracle later. Even if it never comes.
If you have any suggestions for books that are long, boring and good, please help me.
Ann-Marie MacDonald
24,95 $
