In the mid-80s in the family home in the heart of California's Central Valley, Galen young man of 22 years old follower of New Age philosophy, lives alone with his mother Suzie. Retirement nétant disturbed only by dHelen visits, sister Suzie, and his 17 year old daughter, Jennifer.
Immediately the reader understands that harmony really does not reign within that family. The two women do not support, reproaching her sister Helen too stood still to have their mother placed in a nursing home because she loses the memory and block the use of money laïeule. This antagonism falls on the children because without funding, they can not continue their studies. For its part, blind and deaf to this, Suzie tries to maintain an idealized life, the dune united family, which is no longer and has never been, really. As for Jennifer, a rather saucy naughty - "She was just seventeen / You know what I mean" - it actually drool round hat Galen before the deflowered. Galen, central character of the novel, which will freak out and implode this fictitious family nucleus in a tragic apotheosis.
Those who have read the previous two novels writer will be surprised by two points. The first geographical dordre, we are no longer in the coldness of Alaska, but the sun and even in the Californian dodger. Second surprise, the appearance dune sexual dimension, nonexistent in Sukkwand Island, flush Wastes but downright steamy in here. Sun oblige?
For cons, the reader will find in this novel, the distinctive touch of David Vann, his specialty, so to speak, the chief artificer of the institution dezincing family. And it will be stronger. The grandfather certainly was beating his, hatred between two sisters, the mother saccapare the point of létouffer a son "by way Depoux to punish a father," the son thus became calibrated to New Age practices force and compulsive masturbation and tease her cousin first! Of course the author will not hesitate to punish, not skimping on the means.
So there was cause for celebration if lon can say, or at least to feast of a good book. I must admit that I have not been convinced. If the background is extremely strong and powerful, shape or nearly left me indifferent. The first half of the book is live all the characters and knowing David Vann, we follow the den until coming to the point, for against the second part, laffrontement between mother and son, genre settlement account at OK corral, my left on my hunger. I have not found her convincing treatment, psychological my langle seemed weak, poorly served by very credible dialogues and poor Galen, whose every page impression was dentendre the brain to "Splat! Splat! "Wedged between her New Age beliefs not very assertive made of odds and ends, its total confusion and its own finding distressing" No its resolutions never lasted. "
In short, this last part of the book, meant to be an apotheosis, my left completely cold which obviously removes much that jattendais of this novel.
"Then a curious thing happened. Everyone looked away. No one said anything or react to the fact that her aunt had just hit him with his fist. His grandmother was humming to herself, looking down on her knees, and her mother ate. Jennifer had crossed his arms and looked down, too. Her aunt had resumed eating. And Galen realized that he had been beaten for the first time in his life, but in the room, all had to be struck many times. Or in the case of his mother, navait been a mere witness but witnessed many times. "
