Catching up (again)

After finishing Water for Elephants, I wanted to read something less sprawling, and my next two books really fit the bill. First I read Astrid and Veronika, by Linda Olsson. What I liked most about this book was the sense of place. The story is set in a small Swedish village, where Veronika, a writer, has returned after the sudden death of her fiance to write a novel about the great love of her life. She befriends a reclusive elderly neighbor, Astrid, and together, ever so slowly, they build a trusting friendship that allows both of them to make peace with their demons. The stark, remote setting functions almost as a third character in this book and is what I will remember most about this rather slow, but still compelling story.

Next I picked up On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan. I absolutely love McEwan's writing and this book proved that he could draw me into a story that has the barest skeleton of a plot. In England, in the early '60s, two young people nervously approach their wedding night. Both virgins, their anxiety comes from opposite perspectives: he is ready to explode with desire and lust and she with fear. Yet while they love each other, neither has the capacity to talk about their fears, and ultimately they fail miserably in their attempt at consummating their marriage. It's a sad and frustrating story, but told exquisitely with McEwan's characteristic skill.