I Know This Much Is True discussion

I'm struggling with the section of this novel where Dominick is discussing Thomas and his mother's "special play time." I know it suggests that Thomas was dressing up in his mother's clothes, white gloves, etc...but does anyone else feel the undertones of incest here? Am I reading too much into it, or is this conclusion supposed to be drawn?

I never thought of it like that, but now that you mention it, it makes me wonder too.

I just finished this book. I thought about the fact that 'special play time' was incest, but I really believe that Concettina (the mom) was trying to indulge herself with the girly activities she missed out on by having twins. I think she loved her boys too much to inflict harm on them anymore than she knew Ray did. I mean, she was willing to stand up to the "wrath of Ray" to get a job so that the Birdsey twins would have enough money to go to school. I think Concettina knew that Dominick would not have any interested in the 'tea parties' and would not have taken them seriously. Perhaps she figured Thomas had the sensitivity that Dominick did not. Also, remember the part in the book where Dominick first meets Dessa? Thomas asks Dominick about their sexual relations, leading us to the conclusion that he really was in the dark.

Sorry about the long comment! I hope this helps a little bit?? I really liked this book though! Have you read She's Come Undone or The Hour I First Believed??

thanks all for answering...i agree, with you, corrie....a large part of the book's narrative was emphasizing his mother's love for her children...her character probably would not harm either of her children in that way.

interesting..thanks for posting!

I wondered this too, but I think it really was just the tea party stuff... otherwise, it would have come out like all the other horrible stuff!

I loved that book! And 'She's Come Undone! I'm currently listening to The Hour I First Believed. These books really leave you invested in the characters lives. Have any of you read it yet? If so, how do you think it compares to other Lamb novels?

I did read 'She's Come Undone', and I enjoyed it, but I didn't find it as amazing as 'I Know This Much is True'...I agree with you, Corrie, the books do keep you deeply invested in the characters lives...whether you like them or not. For instance, I didn't love Dolores Price as a person, but the book was amazing. I had a bit more of a positive feeling toward Dominick in I Know This Much is True...but every single character in that novel was amazingly descriptive, engrossing and amazing in one way or another.

I have not started The Hour I First Believed yet, it's on my list of to-reads. How do you feel about it so far?

Loved them all. I think Wally Lamb is a fabulous writer and story teller.

Wally Lamb's books are great. I enjoyed She's Come Undone the least (perhaps it's a gender thing) and I Know This Much Is True the most. The characters in The Hour I First Believed are ones you grow to care about.

I smelled incest in the book too. At first, I even suspected the Birdsey twins come from incest, until at last it is revealed who their father is. Wally Lamb descriptive passage leads to that atmosphere, I think. Moreover, after the Birdsey twins’ genetic father revealed with stressing their parents really fell in love each other, I could not refine that atmosphere. I still thought Papa having sex with his shy cleft lip girl who idolized him very much, and who he suspected is not his own daughter, more make sense rather than a soldier fall in love with the girl.

Interesting observation

Beth Anne wrote: "I'm struggling with the section of this novel where Dominick is discussing Thomas and his mother's "special play time." I know it suggests that Thomas was dressing up in his mother's clothes, whit..."

The author makes you think of different reasons for the tragedy. I liked that there were so many ways he could have been emotionally hurt

This was the book I liked the least. She's Come Undone used to be my favorite, but that slot has now been taken by The Hour I First Believed. Anyway, I didn't get the incest vibe at all. It's been years since I've read the book, but I know I didn't get that vibe.

Beth Anne wrote: "I'm struggling with the section of this novel where Dominick is discussing Thomas and his mother's "special play time." I know it suggests that Thomas was dressing up in his mother's clothes, whit..."

That never crossed my mind while I was reading it. I thought it was more that she didn't have a daughter and used him for activities a mom and daughter would do together.

I agree with Kat. I haven't read that book in years but I don't remember ever thinking that it was incestual.

I am excited to read his newest book" The Hour I First Believed" because I'm a huge Wally Lamb fan. I read "She's Come Undone" in like 2000 and it was so amazing, I couldn't believe how great he did at really getting into the psyche of a complex and damaged teenage girl. I would never have guessed it was written cross gender and I remember looking at the flap when I finished and being floored that it was written by a man. And being the same age as the girl was (I was a senior in high school) made it even more amazing because though I had nothing in common with her and was nothing like her, I could relate to a lot of the general mentality of being a girl that age. Wally Lamb is definitely one of my favorites.

I have to add (I know, I'm sorry for the long comment!) that "She's Come Undone" and "I Know This Much Is True" are very different books in style and everything, in my opinion. Just addding that after reading some of the other comments.

i never thot of it as incest though the author kind of suggests something sick-ish. It was just a very special relationship they shared because they were the most persecuted in the family...they had a bond.

It had a suggestion of incest to me, but I don't think it was incest at all. I'm glad the author never went there. Adding incest to the mix would have turned the tragedy into melodrama.

Never felt anything incestuous about that. It was secret because it was girly time and Ray would not approve. When I saw this thread, I thought it would be a discussion of the baby at the end of the book.

I really don't think that was what that was at all. I think part was really what it seemed like, perfectly innocent playing. But I think it was in there for a few reasons: to highlight the differences between Thomas and Dominick's relationship to their mother- how Thomas and her could be silly together and trust one another. But I think the main point was to show how oppressive and misogynistic Ray was (just like Domenico), in that he could not tolerate a boy in any way behaving like a girl.

I never thought of incest, and given the length of this book, and the deep character analysis throughout, I would hope that Mr. Lamb would have covered that aspect more if that's what he was hinting at.

I took it more as Dominick was further illustrating that Thomas was special to his mother: his traits allowed him to bond with his mother in a more effeminate way than he himself could.

The word special can certainly have some ambiguity to it, but I'm not sure of another word Mr. Lamb-or Dominick for that matter-could have used in that context to express the same idea without interrupting the flow.

Marlina wrote: "I smelled incest in the book too. At first, I even suspected the Birdsey twins come from incest, until at last it is revealed who their father is. Wally Lamb descriptive passage leads to that atmo..."

AGREED!! you really read my mind.

No, I didn't think so. Thomas was just a girly-boy.

Beth Anne wrote: "I did read 'She's Come Undone', and I enjoyed it, but I didn't find it as amazing as 'I Know This Much is True'...I agree with you, Corrie, the books do keep you deeply invested in the characters l..."

The Hour I First Believed is my least favorite Wally Lamb book. Very disappointing.

i agree with nate. i didn't sense the incest possibility at all. i disagree with lauren. i don't think thomas was a girly-boy, only that he was more in touch with his "feminine" side than dominick was.

maybe you're right smartfella, it's been a really long time since i've read the book. i just remember him being such a mama's boy.

Lauren wrote: "maybe you're right smartfella, it's been a really long time since i've read the book. i just remember him being such a mama's boy."

yes thatsa mucha more accurate description, lauren!