Two teenage brothers were killed during a car accident, from which the mother Marion was profoundly traumatized. Later she had a daughter Ruth, but the newborn child didn't relieve her pain from the loss of her sons, nor did it mend the relationship with her husband. One day, Marion left the family without a goodbye, abandoned her 4-year-old daughter and the 16-year-old lover who had sex with her "sixty times" in two months. And she would be absent from everybody's life for 38 years.
What would happen during these long years? Would Ruth forgive her mother? How about Eddie, the young lover who was left heartbroken? Based on John Irving himself, this is Ruth's story, but the story certainly goes beyond Ruth's alone. From the life of the Americans' middle class to the life of the red-light district of Amsterdam of Holland, again, Irving demonstrated his excellent skills in creating characters, building up a complex storyline, and probing into the great depth of each character's personality.
There are quite a lot of sexual descriptions in this novel, yet, the story is far beyond just sex. John Irving certainly is a true free writer who doesn't care much about conventions.
The book is about how to cope with grief - the grief of losing loved ones, and of course, along with all other kinds of griefs. Since misfortune is inevitable in our life, maybe it is through our thorough understanding of grief, and knowing how to deal with it, can we reach the point of truly understanding each other, ultimately, truly loving each other.
Irving also spent lots of pages describing literature writing skills through his characters in the book. I found them invaluable, especially to those who love writing.
This is the second book by John Irving I've read. Though I still like the first one - The Cider House Rules - more, I admit this is also a delicately crafted masterpiece. Just like other good books, the later you get into it, the more engrossing it is. And the end? A heartstopper.
Yes, John Irving knows how to stop heart beating.
