I’ve been a fan of Anna Quindlen’s for many years now, going back to a spate in the early 2000s when I read several of her earlier novels nearly back to back. One True Thing made me a weepy mess, and I still remember reading Blessings like it was yesterday. I was excited when I heard about her new book; some of you may remember I’m easily ensnared by any novel that takes place in New York City.
I spent some time considering the book’s title as I was reading; Alternate Side. Opens book: “So it’s to do with parking, I get it!” Well…maybe, maybe not. Reads beginning part: “It’s to do with the haves and the have nots, I get it!” Maybe, maybe not. Gets to controversial moment: “It’s to do with their being two sides to every story!” Maybe, maybe not.” Sees character growth: It’s about going through a major life event an emerging on the other (alternate) side!” Maybe, maybe not. Actually, I think it’s all of these things. Anna Quindlen gives us an uncompromising portrait of middle-aged married life, a slice of life of a tranquil, moneyed NYC street, and shows us what happens when things gets messy and characters have tough decisions to make. Do you remember that Billy Ocean song, “When the Going Gets Tough”? When the going gets tough / the tough get going / when the going gets rough / the tough get rough. Alternate Side‘s main character Nora Nolan is one tough cookie.
I don’t want to give away what ultimately happens in the book, but Nora is forced to question her life and roles as a professional woman, a wife, and a mother. I almost feel like I would have enjoyed this book even more if my own children were older and I could more closely relate my parenting experiences with Nora’s. That issue aside, I enjoyed watching Nora’s life play out, and the way she deals with the things that come her way. Throughout the complex and sometimes uncomfortable situations that arise, she holds her head high and sticks up for what she believes in.
Lest you think this novel is just about a woman struggling to figure her place in varied aspects of her life, there’s also a tabloid-worthy encounter between one of Nora’s neighbors and the hard working handy-man who manages the behind-the-scenes work for all the houses on her dead end street. It’s a shocking clash, and it’s fascinating to see the way the lines are drawn among the street’s residents. Wealthy vs. working class. Truth vs. lies.
I know there have been some conflicted reviews of this book; I will say that there’s no big plot twist, no roller-coaster, non-stop action happening here. If that’s what you like, you may want to look elsewhere. This book is like a delicious, slow-simmering stew. Things keep getting added, building in the layers of complexity and tension. The plot never boils over; the book just simmers along, and in the end you get something that’s worth of admiration and reflection.
And just for the record, yes, that’s a bag for doggie poo pictured above; but no, I did not acquire a real specimen of poo for the photo. Purple fingerling potatoes (from my #myreadsmonday 2 weeks ago) to the rescue! Why is there a bag of poo in the photo? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!