Monday, July 2, 2007
Synonym For Love

Matty Grove was sixteen years old when her Mother died at the age of 39, from cancer. Not long afterwards her father abandoned her, he said he had to keep moving. Alison Moore is a short-story writer and her first novel "Synonym For Love" seems like several short stories all rolled into one. The novel doesn't flow chronologically, but rather it jumps from past to present continuously as Matty's memories are triggered by present day events.

I finished this book yesterday, but decided to let it sink in before doing a quick write-up. I really liked it, but I did find it difficult to follow at times. And please, let me tell you, it is by no means a love story so don't be fooled by the title or the cover of the book.

A synopsis states, "Alison Moore's debut novel examines the human struggle between the need to belong and the longing to escape."

**Spoiler Alert**

Matty's family moved all the time and her parents led a life almost separately from her. They were so in love, it didn't seem they should have ever had a child. Matty watched her mother and father and knew how much they loved each other. When her Mom got sick with cancer things fell apart quickly. She wasn't able to say goodbye because the hospital wouldn't let her in and she never left the hospital.

Her dad was so distraught he ended up leaving her with an older brother she didn't even know she had (memories repressed). And Jack, the brother, ended up leaving her as well. Since she was nearly eighteen years old, she could take care of herself and she has a job, but even so...she just lost her family.

She moved in with an older lately who could hardly see and she lived in an attic for awhile. Her escape was through the lens of her camera and she used the dark room in the Church's basement to develop her own photos. This took place in Virginia during a time in which desegregation was taking place, but there still seemed to be much tension. After developing a photo of police fighting with a group of black men "loitering" Matty sent it into a newspaper. They printed the photo and Matty was then shunned from town. She decided to ride a bus from Virginia to Arizona and find her brother Jack.

She is searching for love, or something like it - but love has no synonym.

There is much to tell about her stay with Jack, but I'll leave that a mystery to prompt you to read the book. After leaving his home, she house sits for an old friend in the Mojave desert. She forms an odd friendship with an elderly lady who lives nearby, Della. Della's motto is that family gets in the way. She left her husband and daughter and moved away many years ago so she could have peace and do artwork. That whole storyline was quite odd for me, I didn't and still don't understand how someone can do that, but she did.

Matty, feeling as though she was left by all her family, is also used to the idea of family getting in the way since that is how Jack and her father made her feel. Not to mention she spent her whole life running with her parents from place to place anyway. Matty and Della formed a bond after Matty was stung by a scorpion and Della bitterly helped her.

She ends up doing artwork outside with Della rather than taking photographs and she finds it to be relaxing. She has always had an issue with idle hands. Della is unable to finish her handmade arch outside her home because her hands are unable to work due to severe arthritis and she becomes wheelchair ridden. Her daughter comes to try and help her, bringing along with her a nurse. Della says her peace has been spoiled; she has Matty bring her to the airport.

Alison Moore wrote the book to follow an emotional logical, rather than one of time. Once I got used to that notion, I was able to get through it more quickly. The book is filled with beautiful descriptions of everything Matty comes in contact with which is interesting to read. There is a need for discovering herself and through her travels in the present day, she begins to reflect on her troubling past.

The book ends with Matty finishing the arch outside of Della's home. And it seems as though she has come to terms with everything, even understanding why things happened the way they did with her family. It's a good ending and Matty is a strong character. I think you'll find the character development is written well.

Now onto the next book...

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