Saturday, June 23, 2007
Body Surfing

As I am on an avid reading kick, I have already finished another book. Hmmm, I think this also means I have been a bit of an insomniac. Artsy people are like that you know.

"Body Surfing" is an amazing book. It was one of those books you don't want to put down because you get so involved with the character development. I've not read an Anita Shreve book before, but after reading this one I will surely have to add all of her books to my wish list. (Hint Hint)

After having read two rather dark books, this one was quite refreshing. "Body Surfing" had its ups and downs, but for the most part it was happy and full of a contenting growth and understanding.

The main character and our narrator is Sydney. She is 29 years old and has been married twice. One marriage ended in divorce as the two had different ideas of life but it wasn't an unhappy marriage or anything dreadful like that. The second marriage last 8 months, and her husband she deeply loved died suddenly. There is an irony involved here, but you'll have to read the book yourself to see.

The story opens with Sydney body surfing.

***spoiler alert**

Sydney stayed in a small room in a cottage on the beach. The home was owned by the Edwards family. Husband and wife and their three children made room for visitors to their home during the summer. Sydney would help clean and she tutored the daughter Julie.

Two brothers; Ben and Jeff, had an odd and tense relationship throughout the book. We don't know why until closer to the end of the book. Unfortunately Sydney gets drug through the mud and down the middle which leaves her alone and confused on her wedding day to Jeff. Ben and Mr. Edwards go out looking for Jeff when he should be at the altar. When he returns he tells Julie that this had all been a game of sorts. He never really wanted to be with her, he only did it because he knew Ben found her attractive. Oh yeah, complete asshole. Because Sydney loved him very much and everyone else (including me) thought he loved her.

Julie, 18 in the beginning of the story and 21 by the end is the better of all the family members. She is the most honest and the most open to being true to herself. We are told she is slow and you can tell that in the way she interacts with people and some of the things she says. Sydney tutors her and finds that she is extremely gifted in art. She helps Julie's artistic abilities flourish and in doing so Julie becomes more confident. She ends up running away from home, not to be mean, but because she has found someone who makes her happy. She leaves a note saying she is okay. Sydney finds out who she is with and she and Jeff go to her...she is in Canada with Helene...her lover.

Ah yes all the changes and roller coaster shifts that Sydney witnesses and/or is a direct part of. There are many pieces of this story and we hear about all of them through Sydney who isn't even a part of the Edwards family. We hear about Mrs. Edwards too which I will also not discuss because I don't like the woman and she will not waste my blog's space.

Back to being left at the altar. Sydney lived in a fog for a long time. She went and stayed in a hotel in Boston for nearly a month. She made friends with everyone who worked there, they looked after her and she slowly came to terms with what happened. The process was painful for her and therefore painful for me since I soaked it all in; but it was also strengthening.

As a final piece of closure she makes her way back to the Edwards' cottage. She finds the family there, all but Jeff...Mr. Edwards has recently passed away and they are cleaning out the house. It's a sad time. Sydney once again finds herself pulled into a family where she doesn't really belong. Ben is there and she finds out the truth about everything involving him and Jeff. Julie is there and she finds out that Julie is having an art opening in Canada in a few months. Mrs. Edwards is there and is just as rude and cold as ever before. All three of them are very sad and still grieving about the loss of their father and husband.

Ben asks Sydney to join him out at the beach for one last wave before they sell the house.

The book ends with Sydney body surfing and happy.

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