It is 1960, the end of the comfortable Eisenhower years and the beginning of the ruthlessly competitive Nixon/Kennedy presidential campaign. Mary van der Linden has recently moved from London to Washington D.C with her two children and her husband Charlie, who is posted to the British embassy. In her forties, Mary is a loving mother, wife and friend who has loyally devoted her entire life to other people. But when Frank Renzo suddenly appears- a handsome down to earth journalist- she seems to forget this and is drawn into the Bohemian world of Greenwich Village. Mary is drawn to the rawness of New York City; after all it is the swinging sixties and what is better than jazz clubs, Miles Davis records and gritty bookstores? Mary finds excuses to be with her lover in New York while back in Washington her alcoholic husband drinks to forget his paranoia with the interfering Russians, his absent wife and his state of depression.
Faulks breaks new grounds with this novel. Unlike his previous works, this is not a war story and is not set in Europe. Faulks has an easy, approachable writing style and explores the themes of the 60's beautifully. Although not as enthralling as Birdsong or Charlotte Grey, this is great novel and will easily entertain all readers. Just be warned: the political jargon is rather heavy so if you're looking for a love story this is probably not it.
In summary, Charlie is a British diplomat living in the USA with his wife Mary and their two children. They enjoy a rather high life in Washington characterized by parties and an envious lifestyle. Charlie is an alcoholic plagued by internal demons. It seems we are meant to believe that Charlie's drinking is justified because of his intelligent perceptions but most readers will see that he suffers from "terminal uniqueness" and uses his intelligence as a means of talking himself out of staying sober. Mary meets Frank, a bohemian reporter, and engages in a love affair. The affair runs its course. Mary's family needs her and so it ends.
One of the biggest obstacles to finding this an original reading experience is the exploitation of common 60s, Eisenhower and Kennedy mythology. Both amusingly and dully, these characters do little else but drink and smoke. I doubt there is one exchange between the principal characters which isn't fueled by alcohol, or during the aftermath of a rampant drunken spree. Between the lines, it's the story of how alcohol can affect the life of anyone within the radius of an alcoholic.
Nevertheless, certain passages and descriptions are deeply moving and original. Mary's emotional dilemma is tangible and upsetting and the final separation between the two lovers is excruciating. The family ties between Mary and her parents and children are beautifully drawn. It's certainly worth reading if you're trapped inside with nothing to do on a rainy Sunday evening.
