Play Book Tag discussion

A Separation by Katie Kitamura - 3* - My Review

A young woman (the unnamed narrator) and her husband are separated. She has agreed to keep it secret, even from his parents, at his request. His mother calls, and she is surprised to find out is visiting Greece to research his upcoming book about mourning customs. His mother has not heard from him and asks her to travel to Greece to find him. She agrees, deciding to ask for a divorce when she finds him.

This book follows the interior thoughts of the narrator, and we learn the reasons for the couple’s separation. There are only a handful of characters and limited dialogue. It is elegantly written. In the midst of the story of the breakdown of a marriage, there is a mystery. When the wife gets to Greece the husband has not been back to his hotel in days.

It is slow in developing, and definitely not for anyone looking for a neat resolution. The narrator is meticulous about dissecting every event in her life, which is insightful into human nature, but does not make for a particularly compelling reading experience. It examines the impact of seemingly small decisions in life that can have a large impact.

I picked this book up on the strength of Intimacies, which I loved. This one was a bit of a disappointment. I felt intrigued by the beginning, but somewhere in the middle my interest flagged. I still love Kitamura’s astute writing style and will definitely be reading more of her works.

Thanks for reviewing. I had the same feelings you had -- initial interest that faded.