Carnivore, by Mark Sinnett
Ray Townes and his wife Mary have had a mostly antagonistic relationship over the fifty odd years of their marriage. Unfortunately their problems started relatively early – stemming from the events surrounding 1954- the year that Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto, and the year that Ray became a hero saving people all up and down the Humber River.
Mary has always doubted Ray’s version of the truth of what happened during the storm, and even as a young reporter has come by the house to interview Ray for a follow up story on his heroic deeds of long ago, the truth of those nights begin to surface. Ray’s not the only one with secrets. Mary was out and about in the storm as well, and she had business of her own that needed attending.
I have been fortunate to read some really great books over the last couple of months and this novel joins the ranks as one of them. I read this during the Read-a-Thon and it held my attention throughout. Mark Sinnett is a top notch literary writer and the characters that he has built in this exploration of truth and responsibility within a marriage, were endlessly fascinating and complex. I couldn’t rush through this novel as the nuances and the flavor of the story were ones that had to be savored. Watching Ray and Mary walk the line and navigate ambiguous moral situations and negotiate the terms of their marriage with one another was thoroughly absorbing.
One of the recurring themes that has been featured in a lot of my reading lately has been what responsibility we bear when our action or inaction affects the lives of other people. Events of the storm sets Ray on a path that changes the course of his marriage, and as he lays dying many years later, in the stifling environment of which he himself was the chief architect, I wanted him and Mary to be able to bridge the gap that he he created and that she fueled with her reluctance. However as the story travels toward Ray’s imminent demise, and all the secrets that have been festering are laid bare, it’s hard to see anyone with clean hands and even harder to imagine whether a path to forgiveness can be found.
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10 Responses to “Carnivore, by Mark Sinnett”
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May 2010
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This sounds really good. I shall definitely add to my list.
vivienne´s last blog ..Two New Challenges For 2010
This sounds so interesting and is definitely going on the tbr list. But I gotta admit that I looked at the title and assumed it was something sci-fi or fantasy or horror and almost skipped over your review. I’m so gladd I didn’t!
Lisa´s last blog .."The Secret of Joy"
You have made me really curious about this one! I love books that examine the intricate relationships between people and the more morally complex, the better. This one is being added to my TBR spreadsheet!
Kathleen´s last blog ..Review: Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
Sounds fascinating. I’ve know married couples in relationships that are a lot like the one you described and think it would make a great subject for a book.
Kathy´s last blog ..Review with Carl: Leviathan
It is good for the soul (and for keeping our morals in check!) by reading books like this one. Lesson #1: Secrets are bad for marriages! I remember reading a review of this one somewhere recently, and it caused me to write it down. You’ve done a fabulous job on this review by the way.
Sandy´s last blog ..Mating Rituals of the North American WASP – Lauren Lipton
I just heard about this yesterday. Sounds very good!
Rose City Reader´s last blog ..Review of the Day: The Tenderness of Wolves
This looks like a thought-provoking read and a bit of a sad one too. Nice review!
I chose this one as one of my Friday Finds and now I can keep it on the TBR list. I’m so glad you liked it. It just sounded like a good one.
Ti´s last blog ..I’m Guest Posting Today!
This sounds very intriguing as a book for what not to do in a marriage! Thanks for another great review.
AmusedByBooks´s last blog ..Posterity
This is the first I’ve heard of this, but I am definitely adding it to my list. I love the messy theme.
Stacy´s last blog ..Fave Film #16 – A Walk on the Moon