"The Unmaking of June Farrow" by Adrienne Young
Published by Dell, Nov 12, 2024
Genre: Fiction
Format: Listened via Audible (twice)
Gah. Did you read "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt in elementary school? Winnie runs into Jesse Tuck and his family, a family who have discovered the fountain of everlasting life. Drinking from this fountain means they never age or die. They invite Winnie into their circle and eventually, she has to make the decision if she, too, will drink the water. In an interview, Babbitt talks about the symbolism of the circle in the short story. If you could draw time, would it look like a circle, concentric circles, papers stacked on top of one another, a scarf of woven strings?
I guess I've always loved time travel books. Is it the fantasy of being able to fix everything I've messed up (oldest daughter) or is it the contemplation of the complexity of time? In college, I somehow had room in my schedule to take a few classes just for fun. One was astronomy. I imagined field trips at midnight with blankets and andromeda. Instead, it was powerful math and class discussions about why time travel is possible. When is the last day to drop? Cassiopeia?
June is one of the Farrow gals, which means she will eventually lose her mind. So, the story begins with her deciding to be alone, not wanting to inflict her madness on anyone else or pass down what she considers a curse.
She's in her 30s when she feels the psychosis kick in. She starts to experience a vivid alternate reality and has a conversation that leads her to focus on a red door. This red door will change her understanding of herself, her mental health, and her future.
I just finished listening to this one for a second time and started a second Adrienne Young book, I was so immersed in the characters, the time, and the murder mystery woven together in this book.
I respect faiths and perspectives that leave room for mystery. Science can exist with faith, and science can coexist with mystery. Here are some ideas I'm chewing on after reading this book:
1. Time isn't linear. Memory isn't guaranteed.
2. Real love is sometimes boring, but that's great, because that's real.
3. There's no magic that will fix what's broken. No lottery. No relocation. Only taking responsibility, problem solving, and making choices can fix what's broken.
If you're around kids and/or appreciate a good animated drama, check out "In Your Dreams." The children are also faced with the choice of what they think they want or reality. For a dreamer, reality is a really tough choice and requires the sacrifice of the pretend version of yourself that also exists. It requires facing and accepting reality. It's the only way to live an authentic life.
Sigh.
LOVELY BIT
“I'd found myself in one of those vulnerable moments when the truth came for me.”
RATING
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