as part of the Charleston Gazette-WVU Festival of Ideas, says her novel is "'Silas Marner'" and "a bit of 'Scarlet Letter.'" (Personally, I think we could throw in a little "Mrs. Dalloway," too).
The result of these classical influences is a novel that moves effortlessly from past to present and back. The tale incorporates a chorus of fully realized voices and characters into a story that is dominated, as Quindlen pointed out in a recent e-mail interview, by the theme of redemption.
"I wanted to write about finally getting things right at the very last moment," Quindlen says of her latest novel. "And about overcoming tired societal mores, which is something that always interests me. From there it just grew."
The novel, released late last year, is the story of Skip Cuddy, a quiet young man trying to restart his life after a rough childhood and a short stint in the county jail for a convenience-store robbery. Skip finds a comfortable niche working as a handyman for Lydia Blessing, a wealthy former socialite who was banished to her family's rural estate years ago for a scandalous pregnancy.
Skip's new beginning hits a snag when he discovers a baby girl -- he later names her Faith -- abandoned on his doorstep. He never questions what to do with the baby. It seems a given that he will take care of her; but he tries to hide her from Lydia, because he fears she will fire him if she discovers a baby on the premises.
Despite his efforts, Lydia finds out about the baby anyway and her reaction both surprises and relieves Skip. Lydia keeps Skip's secret, and they develop a bond, a tenuous connection forged by the conspiracy and a mutual need for companionship.
Lydia and Skip have much in common in that both bear the weight of a tremendous amount of emotional baggage. The baby becomes a powerful symbol for both: For Lydia, the baby brings back memories of her own empty childhood and failed attempts at motherhood and awakens warm feelings that Lydia had locked away during her lonely years at the estate. For Skip, Faith represents a chance to make something good, to finally be successful at something.
Quindlen does a wonderful job of making the lush grounds of the estate come to life (possibly because it was modeled after her own home) and Lydia Blessing, in particular, is a finely drawn character. In writing the novel, Quindlen was particularly intrigued with the prospect of creating an elderly woman as the focus of her book.
"The thing I'm proudest of in 'Blessings' is writing about a woman of advanced years," Quindlen says. "Actually, it was a huge gift for me as a writer because in one individual you had all the seasons of life. Yet it's rare that older people are set at the center of a work of fiction. I loved doing that."
Indeed, one of the things I liked best about the book is Quindlen's skill at seamlessly weaving together all the threads and "seasons" of Lydia's life. The novel is an easy, enjoyable read, and the bird songs and blooming flowers of Lydia's estate are the perfect accompaniment to our own long-awaited spring.
To contact Regina C. Davis, use e-mail or call 348-7936.
