11/20/08

Between the Covers

Story begins in tragedy, leads to self-exploration

By Mary Burns

Split Estate

By Charlotte Bacon

($24, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Reviewed by T.L. Muench

Ms. Bacon's "Split Estate" opens in New York City shortly after a beloved wife and mother of two teenagers has just completed her suicide by jumping from the tenth-story window of the family's apartment. The three survivors are each cast on a journey of self-examination to try and unravel the "Why?" and "What now?" of their lives.

The children's father believes that moving his fractured family back to his childhood home in Wyoming, under the care of his long-widowed and resilient mother, will provide perspective and the quiet healing necessary to guide their lives forward.

Each eponymous-titled chapter reveals that character's point of view. This is compelling storytelling, resplendent with the kind of three-dimensional characters all accomplished novels demand. Ms. Bacon's metaphors are so fresh they still hold the scent of Wyoming sage, and the author's similes are as bold and shiny as a rodeo rider's new belt buckle.

"Split Estate" has gravitas that pulls you long after the final page and begs for lively discussion. It's an ideal selection for your book club or a thought-provoking gift for your best friend.

Mary Burns is owner of The BookWORKS, in historic downtown Marysville or online at www.marysvillebookworks.com.