Reading Turgenev
A Review of William Trevor's Novel about Love and Loss
What would you do if you married to escape a boring existence, only to find yourself in a loveless union, forced to live with your husband's petty, critical sisters?
That's the dilemma that faces the protagonist in Trevor's powerful 1991 novel Reading Turgenev. Mary Louise, a country girl in her twenties, sees the lonely years at her parents' farm looming ahead of her. When an older shop owner from the city, Elmer Quarry, asks her to the movies, she sees in him a chance to escape the monotony of the country. He courts her timidly and shortly thereafter asks for her hand. Only after they are married does she realize that the deal has cost her freedom and her privacy.
A Marriage of Convenience
On her honeymoon to an Irish seaside resort, Mary Louise finds that her new husband is as inexperienced as herself, but what's more he has no intention of learning. He also begins on the honeymoon what will become a steady descent into alcoholism. Back home, she finds that Elmer's two sisters resent a newcomer in the household and the shop, and do all that they can to find fault with the new bride.
Cousin Robert
One day while she is out riding, Mary Louise decides to drop in on her aunt and invalid cousin Robert, whom she hasn't seen since childhood. The two find they have much in common and Mary Louise starts to look forward to weekly visits. But there's a cost associated to her friendship with her cousin. Soon the town, led by the Quarry sisters, is talking about Mary Louise's strange ways.
Discussion Questions (spoiler alert)
- Why doesn't Mary Louise leave her husband rather than continue to live in her fantasy world?
- Is Mary Louise ever "insane" or is this merely her means of escape?
- Mary Louise is not the only character in Reading Turgenev with a secret life. What other characters have secrets that are not discussed?
About William Trevor
William Trevor is an Irish writer, the author of 40 novels, plays, and collections of short stories. He has been awarded numerous prizes for his work, including the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Whitbread Award (twice). He was shortlisted for both the Booker Prize and the Whitbread Award for his most recent novel, The Story of Lucy Gault. Mr. Trevor now lives in Devon, England.
