Harriet Klausner's Review Archive
As she becomes sicker, Alison increasingly buries her mind in a time when she was pretty and treasured as a beauty. The present is too ugly and painful to stay in while the past though only skin deep and choosing to ignore the shallow, the failed love affair and any hardships is nicer even with Veronica death at least in what is left inside Alison’s mind.
This is a powerful character study that grips the audience from the moment of understanding of the lead protagonist in her present state vs. when her former existence takes hold. Fans will not find this an easy novel to read though it is well written and insightful as Alison in the present is extremely ill with no hopes and in the past so shallow life seems to have passed her by. Mary Gaitskill provides a strong drama that takes no prisoners as she demonstrates to the audience that they will have one chance to live life to the fullest so they should do it.