Books › The Story of a Marriage
The Story of a Marriage
315 pages
A lyrical, quietly devastating exploration of the profound mysteries hidden within a seemingly ordinary marriage.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a beautifully preserved, yet incredibly fragile, mid-century living room where every shadow hides a secret. The narrative unfolds at a steady, deliberate pace, wrapping the reader in an intimate and quietly tense atmosphere. It is a deeply introspective experience, driven by lyrical prose that indirectly probes the devastating mystery of how well we can ever truly know another person. The mood is steeped in a melancholic tenderness, balancing the weight of domestic duty with the sudden, surprising disruption of hidden identities and complex interpersonal triangles. It will deeply satisfy readers who crave emotionally resonant historical fiction that explores the delicate, often heartbreaking realities of love, marriage, and the secrets kept by those closest to us.
- Mood
- intimate
- fragile
- quietly tense
- melancholic
- Tone
- reflective
- introspective
- lyrical
- devastating
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the unknowability of loved ones · domestic duty · hidden identities · complex love triangles · marital secrets
- The writing
- Lyrical and indirect, carefully probing the delicate mysteries of love and human connection.
- The arc
- Begins in a state of fragile domestic duty and builds toward a surprising, devastating confrontation with the unknown.
- Who it's for
- Readers who savor beautifully written, introspective historical fiction that peels back the layers of domestic life to reveal complex emotional truths.
Content notes
- childhood illness (polio)
- chronic illness
- infidelity and love triangles
About the book
A Today Show Summer Reads Pick
A Washington Post Book of the Year
"We think we know the ones we love." So Pearlie Cook begins her indirect, and devastating exploration of the mystery at the heart of every relationship--how we can ever truly know another person.
It is 1953 and Pearlie, a dutiful young housewife, finds herself living in the Sunset District in San Francisco, caring not only for her husband's fragile health, but also for her son, who is afflicted with polio. Then, one Saturday morning, a stranger appears on her doorstep, and everything changes. Lyrical, and surprising, The Story of a Marriage is, in the words of Khaled Housseini, "a book about love, and it is a marvel to watch Greer probe the mysteries of love to such devastating effect."
Description from Open Library.
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