The Violets of March by Sarah Jio: book review

The Violets of March (2011) is set on Bainbridge Island near Seattle in Washington State in 2005.

Eight years earlier Emily Wilson was in her twenties, had a best-selling novel that was made into a movie, and an attorney husband, Joel, a previous top-10 CQ bachelor. But on February 28, 2005, she signed their divorce papers. Her great-aunt Bee invites her to Bainbridge Island for a month to take stock of her life.

In March Emily, from New York, visits her unconventional 85-year-old great aunt, Bee Larson. Even in Emily’s childhood Bee had some rooms in her house locked, and she still does. But one room, the pink room, she opens for Emily to use. In this room Emily finds a red velvet diary, dated 1943.

At first it looks like a diary, but maybe it is a fictional story – someone’s attempt at writing a novel. The author is anonymous. It is a tragic love story about Esther and Elliot. Esther Johnson marries Bobby Littleton, but she loves Elliot Hartley – and is having his child, although he does not know this. Emily tries to piece together whether this is fact or fiction.

She meets two childhood friends – one is Jack Evanston, an artist, and the other is Greg Attwood, a grocery store clerk. She also meets Bee’s elderly neighbour, Henry, and Bee’s best friend Evelyn. The violets (of the title) are rare wood violets blossoming out of season in Henry’s garden. Bee has not seen violets like this since___ well, for a very long time.

As Emily reads the diary she learns more about Esther, Elliot, Bobby, Frances and Rose. It is an entanglement of love interests. Just as Emily’s life is, when Jack and Greg take an interest in her, and her ex-husband Joel has regrets and wants to return.

During Emily’s research on Esther Johnson, the woman in the local library once danced with Elliot Hartley – so he is real. Emily sets out to find him. What she finds is so much more. After 65 years, Esther Johnson’s secret is revealed.

The two storylines of 2005 and 1943 run in parallel and eventually intermingle in events that affect Emily’s life. Sometimes this works and other times it is rather contrived and formulaic, as readers try to guess the connections. Characters lack some depth, but nevertheless this novel has been popular for its intrigue and cross-generational relationships.

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