It should be no mystery at all to those who know me well that the cover of Camille DeAngelis’ debut novel, Mary Modern, was what drew me in to picking up this book in the first place. In fact, I found the cover image to be so hauntingly seductive that I made it a point to pick up this book every time I went into the bookstore. After several such clandestine meetings, it seemed very untoward not to buy the book and take it home, so I did. As with most books I buy, it ended up sitting on the shelf for awhile as I read other selections I was currently involved in. Then came our Halloween party and I was looking for something to decorate our table with and this book, with its illusions to my wife (they share the same name, Mary), became part of the centerpiece for our table. All it took was holding it in my hands once again to decide that this would be my final read for the R.I.P. II Challenge, and I was off and running…er, reading.
From the inside jacket:
Lucy Morrigan, a young genetic researcher, lives with her boyfriend, Gray, and an odd collection of tenants in her crumbling family mansion. Surrounded by four generations of clothes, photographs, furniture, and other remnants of past lives, Lucy and Gray’s home life is strangely out of touch with the modern world–except for Lucy’s high-tech lab in the basement.
Frustrated by her unsuccessful attempts to attain motherhood or tenure, Lucy takes drastic measures to achieve both. Using a bloodstained scrap of an apron found in the attic, Lucy successfully clones her grandmother Mary. But rather than conjuring a new baby, Lucy brings to life a twenty-two-year-old Mary, who is confused and disoriented when she finds herself trapped in the strangest sort of deja vu: alive in a home that is no longer her own, surrounded by reminders of a life she has already lived, but doesn’t remember.
Mary Modern is an incredible book. Camille DeAngelis has a lyrical and unique voice that in some ways defies explanation. Or at the very least defies my ability to explain it well. Though set in our times, Mary Modern has the gothic tone of the many classic romance mysteries that have been read and recommended during both R.I.P. Challenges. There are elements of The Thirteenth Tale and Time Traveler’s Wife in this story and Mary Modern certainly has become that kind of experience for me for 2007. And yet, despite my comparisons to two of my favorite reading experiences ever, Mary Modern is its own book. It is written in a manner and style that sets it apart from those books rather than being a repeat of those ideas.
As I said, gothic sensibilities pervade this book. Because the story alternates between the present time and flashbacks to when Mary was a young woman in the earlier part of this century, the story maintains a sense of timelessness that remains relatively unbroken throughout the story. Most of the book feels as if it is occurring in a more mysterious and romantic past rather than in modern times. Even Lucy’s father’s lab in the basement has an old-timey, mad scientist quality about it that ties it more to the past than to current times.
DeAngelis has an interesting way of dropping hints throughout the story that there is much more than meets the eye. Mysteries are presented that are only revealed later on throughout the tale and the conclusion of some of the mysterious elements of the book are only hinted at even as the story ends. Mary Modern was a book that once I started I had a really hard time putting down. In fact I came home from work one night at 10:30 and went on a reading binge that took me until 2 in the morning because I simply had to keep reading on through until the end. Similar to my experience with The Thirteenth Tale and Time Traveler’s Wife, the palpable electric feeling of mystery and wonder stayed with me long after I turned the last page of the book.
The only part of the book that I feel did not work as it ought to have were brief glimpses into a book called Everyday Life in the Twenty-first Century. While other elements of the book ground the story firmly in modern times, the way that DeAngelis writes gives the entire book a gothic, classic feel about it. These book moments contained elements of way too thinly veiled social commentary and criticism that generally only served to kick me out of the flow of the story rather than propel the story along. The author of said book, however, is a fascinating and mysterious character whose presence adds a very interesting aspect to the book. I just wish the contents of the book itself had not been so filled with snarky judgments on today’s world climate.
That, however, is a minute criticism, as it is only a small part of a story which is so amazing that you will find yourself pulled along on the incredible journey of experiencing DeAngelis’ timeless voice. This book contains it all: a gothic air, an old house with secrets of its own, time travel, mysterious characters with hidden agendas, classic romance…and all through the story DeAngelis weaves a thread of delicious melancholy that pervades even the good parts of the story. At its best Mary Modern touches on the importance of relationships and connection, of memory and of what it means to be human and to be a unique individual. This was a haunting tale that thrilled me from start to finish and I highly recommend it.
Mary Modern was my final R.I.P. II Challenge read, and it was an incredible way to end the challenge.
Ah, yes…The book with the really cool cover. I remember when you first posted about this one, I wanted to go out and buy it just for the cover. Now I really want to go out and buy it and may do just that. Or maybe I’ll add it to my Christmas wishlist because I don’t think I’ll have time to read it anytime in the immediate future. But after you’re wonderful review, this one will definitely be read in 08. You compared it to two of my favorite reads in 07 and the premise of this one sounds amazing. Yep, yep, I’ll be reading it!
Oh my. What a great review!! I haven’t seen this book, but the cover is indeed very lovely! I can see why you picked it up!! It is definitely going on my TBR!! Maybe I will see if I can find someone to buy it for me for Christmas!
Adding this one to my wish list!
I picked this one up at the library because I loved the cover! I haven’t had a chance to read it yet so I briefly glanced through your review but I’m glad to hear you really enjoyed it. I hope I can get to the book before it’s due but we’ll see 🙂
wow.. sounds like a great book! may have to add this one to the “after the holiday” wish list lol
Wow, that sounds lovely. Straight onto my wish list it goes!
Glad everyone seems interested in this one. I don’t believe any of you will disappointed with it, it is a wonderful novel.
What a wonderful review! (Of course, I’ve come to expect nothing less from you!) I was planning on spending my Christmas money on books for next year’s challenges, but I’m definitely going to add this one, too! It sounds fabulous!
The cover is great. I’ve eyed it several times at your house and have been awaiting your thumbs up. I will add it to my Christmas list for sure now. Thanks for the review!
Carl, if you haven’t read it already you MUST go and get Poor Things by Alasdair Gray.
It’s another story which deals with similar themes, though in a historical (yes) setting, and I think it would make a very interesting companion volume to this book… which I plan to read too, given your recommendation.
Definitely sounds interesting, KK…thankfully clicking on the ‘Search Inside’ link produced a much nicer looking novel cover, that one pictured is hideous and would lead me to burn the book rather than read it, ha!
Oh dear — those are Alasdair Gray’s own woodcuts on the first cover, and I should warn you that (at least in the edition I read) there are several more as illustrations throughout the book.
If it makes you feel any better, the giant man is supposed to be grotesque in appearance.
The writer is Scottish and is also well-known as an artist. I don’t always like his style, either, but it’s certainly instantly recognisable.
No big deal…the artwork just reminds me of Gahan Wilson’s art, and he is not a favorite of mine by any means. Its cool that he does his own art, it just isn’t my thing. The book, however, sounds like alot of fun.
very thorough review, carl! thanks!
it sounds really gothic. that sounds dumb to say, but you know what i mean… it sounds like it pervades one’s mind like a mist and thats what gothic literature is all about to me.
You’re right on with your comments, JP, that is exactly what the book does.
I checked this one out of the library, too, but I didn’t get it read before it had to go back. I thought the premise sounded interesting. I just wasn’t sure how the flipping back and forth between times would go, but I’m glad to hear you liked it. I think I would be more interested in the historical aspect of the story, too. I’ll have to look out for this one again.
I think you’d enjoy it Danielle. It wasn’t at all confusing when the time went back and forth and it certainly didn’t do it a tremendous amount, just enough to give some historical perspective to the book.
I’ve been lusting after this book ever since I heard an interview with the author on NPR. I just got a $50 B&N gift card, so maybe I’ll splurge and pick this one up!
I’ll have to go back and see if I can find that interview on the archives. Do you know what program it was on? I’d love to hear it!
I have this and just haven’t gotten to it yet – and I hadn’t read any reviews up until now. Thanks!
No problem. Please come back and share your thoughts and/or the link to your review once you’ve gotten to it.
Yes, that is a great cover, isn’t it? One of the few times when I prefer the hardcover art over the trade paperback.
Anyway, yes, I’d agree with you that I found the socio-political comments in the 21st century book a bit offputting. Not that I necessarily disagree with a lot of it but I felt that was the author’s personal views coming through at the expense of the tone of the novel.
I can’t believe that I’d never heard of this book before a few weeks ago!
Offputting is a good way to put it. It really didn’t fit with the rest of the story. Perhaps it could a have more with a little more attention to that part of the story, but it didn’t work well with the final product. And wow, I hadn’t seen the trade cover. Normally I like that kind of art, but in comparison to this cover that is just terrible. I wonder why they went with such a different image.