Love is a Rebellious Bird by Elayne Klasson: book review

Love is a Rebellious Bird (2019) is set in America and spans sixty years. The title comes from Georges Bizet’s Carmen.

The narrator is Judith Sherman, in her seventies, who ponders why she loves Elliot Pine. She writes her thoughts to him, confronting the good and the bad.

Written in sections, Judith looks at various aspects of loving Elliot: Beauty, Consolation, Magic, Insanity, Renunciation, Deceit, Serendipity, Sensory Fulfillment, Being Seen, Moving, Need, and Beauty Undiminished.

Judith begins her memories with Elliot’s beauty, and her initial attraction to him, sixty years ago, when they were ten-year-olds in the 5^thgrade at school in Chicago. ‘For the rest of our lives, our relationship was a cocktail mix of rivalry and loyalty – shaken with a strong dose of passion and resentment.’

Judith writes about Elliot’s brother Phillip, three years older, and his brother Jeffrey who was six years older – and comparing herself to their girlfriends. College days, different friends, different studies, different jobs, and a move separated them physically on opposite coasts of the country. Elliot begins a legal career, and Judith marries Seth. Elliot marries Laurie and then Meredith, but who was Lillian?

From heartbreak to tragedies, to her travels, they would always catch up and connect to reflect on life and about their choice of partners.

Judith and Elliot’s relationship was never equal; she loved him throughout everything, affecting all of her other relationships – with her two husbands and three children. Why does she still love Elliot? Judith acknowledges it has not always been wise to keep loving Elliot, but from childhood to old age, Elliot is the single constant throughout everything.

This is a tender monologue to a man, always loved, with no regrets.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

MARTINA NICOLLS

SUBSCRIBE TO MARTINA NICOLLS FOR NEWS AND UPDATES

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of: The Paris Residences of James Joyce (2020), Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Comments

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog