Geographies Of The Heart by Caitlin Hamilton Summie

 

Sarah Macmillian is the anchor of her family.  She is the one who always has time for each member, giving everyone time and attention.  She is married to Al, a religion professor at the local college. They have a daughter whom both adore. Sarah has a sister, Glennie, whose career as a doctor is all consuming.  Her parents live close by and so do her grandparents.  Sarah is the caretaker for everyone, the person who gives time and attention to each person's needs.  But who takes care of Sarah?

This novel explores the foundation of our lives, the families that nurture and sustain us but also can serve as the biggest frustration in our lives.  Sarah always thought she and Glennie could never be separated, but time and careers and outside obligations have pushed them apart and soon Sarah's main thought when she thinks about Glennie is anger that Glennie doesn't spend the same amount of time with the family that she does.  Al is a genial man but as time goes on, life starts to grind him down; his touchstone is Sarah for whom his love is steadfast. As time moves on, the family has to change as the grandparents continue their aging process until they take the next step, death.  Sarah must redefine herself to accommodate the changing family dynamics.

This is one of the best novels I've read.  The author gets it all, love, resentment, family loyalty, connections, marriages and the work they take, sibling and parental relationships.  I was captured from the first pages and could barely tear myself away from the story of Sarah's family.  The story feels warm and loving but authentic, showing the weaknesses that can tear at family relationships when the load is unevenly distributed.  I read the author's first book, an anthology.  Several of those stories find their way into this novel but here the voice is so much stronger, the lessons and power of the family story so much more clearly defined.  I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves as it is definitely one of my favorite novels I've read recently.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction and those who want to understand more about the family relationships that sustain us and tear us apart.