A Wedding in December.

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'A Wedding in December' by Anita Shreve.

This novel centres around an inn in Massachusetts,a wedding invitation and a class reunion. The guests, a group of ex students(all now in their 40's) are attending a classmates' wedding and enjoying the inn's facilities for a weekend. The inn is owned by one of the friends, Nora and she is happy to host the wedding weekend for her friends, Bill and Bridget.
During the weekend as well as preparing to meet long lost friends and attend meals and the wedding service they all muse on the absent one; a friend missing from their lives for many years. Each one has their own input as to this situation and as their discussions unfold more revelations are discovered.

All these people live very different lives, and all have their own personal problems to confront; Nora, is a lonely, childless widow, Bridget is unwell and Harrison although appears to be happily married is drawn to one of the group.
Agnes, a single teacher is longing for fulfillment in her life , and after embarking on a relationship with a married man she ponders the path of her life.She longs for a stable , happy life but will this ever happen? All these secret thoughts race through her mind, for this is a secret , her secret, no-one would believe her, or would they?
Running parallel to this reunion is the story that Agnes is writing, a story based on fact of heroism and compassion.This was quite a fascinating story of a true event. A story that shows the real power of love. Will they all find true love in their own lives. Only time will tell!

'She would finish the story when she got home. Perhaps she might even get it published. Why not? For what was the point of fiction, Agnes wanted to know as she hoisted her duffel bag to her shoulder, if not to edit reality?If not to rewrite history?If not to soothe one's fevered dreams?'

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters were believable, the story lines very plausible.
Most of Anita Shreve books sit on my bookshelf, all read, but I would place this one on par with 'The Pilot's Wife',a wonderful book and the one which began my love of her books.

Comments

JoAnn said…
I love the premise of this book and have enjoyed several of her others. Fortune's Rock stands out as one of my favorites. I have her new one, Testimony, on my wish list. Think I'll add this, too!
5 April 2009 at 13:23
(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said…
I love Anita Shreve and have read all her books. He latest Testimony was really good too.
5 April 2009 at 16:48
Anonymous said…
This sounds like one I'd like. Thanks for the review :)
6 April 2009 at 18:24
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