(Downloaded on my Kindle for $6): I loved the title of Lorrie Moore's early novel and enjoyed this quirky story of two teen girls' summer of verging on adulthood in upstate New York. The narrator is Berrie, reflecting back on her girlhood friendship with the pretty and somewhat dangerous Sils, while accompanying her husband to a medical conference in Paris. In her recollection, Berrie and Sils work at an amusement park and skirt the edges of bad behavior. They rescue frogs tortured or injured by callous boys, hence the title. Moore captures their yearning for maturity and freedom in their dreary little town. The adult Berrie is not quite as well developed. It's not clear why she is slightly dissatisfied with her marriage. Her friendship with Sils fades as they move apart and Berrie regrets the lost connection. The evocation of lost youth is affecting.
No comments:
Post a Comment