'Conely' ties love and loss

Sarah Conley

Back Bay Books

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Lost love, lost friendship, lost life. Ellen Gilchrist's newest novel, "Sarah Conley," is not only a story of losses, but of a titular character whose strong personality deals with the ghosts of her past with vibrant energy.

Ellen Gilchrist is the accomplished writer of 15 books, one of which won the coveted National Book Award in 1984. The complex character and plot that Gilchrist creates in "Sarah Conley" puts this book in the same ring with her others.

Sarah Conley, a successful 52-year-old writer and "Time" magazine editor, is forced to reexamine lurking emotions when a childhood friend calls Sarah to her deathbed. This figurative visit to her past subsequently presents Sarah with the choice of being with the man she has always loved or continuing to pursue her ever-rewarding career.

In addition to her past love affair, Sarah runs into many aspects of her life that her fast-paced New York City lifestyle has allowed her to forget. Through this gradual revealing of her past, the reader comes to completely understand Sarah Conley.

The strength that Sarah exhibits despite past hardships is unparalleled. She is a woman of steel, a woman of ideas and ideals placed upon her by herself. The possible love affair is an indulgence that this self-sufficient woman logically knows she should not take, yet she is tempted. And the beautiful, romantic scenery in which the novel takes place does not help her logic.

Gilchrist's descriptions are detailed and breathtaking. She uses beautiful and striking imagery that masterfully draws the readers into the center of Paris, as if they, too, are walking by the Seine. The same descriptive prose is used to transport the reader to an old farmhouse in Tennessee and even to Conley's small-town birthplace, Tyler, Ky.

Along with stunning images, Gilchrist's writing is filled with the same wittiness that her title character embodies. Such humor gives insight on how Sarah herself handles her serious problems.

And, mirroring Sarah's complexity, the novel's plot is filled with twists that constantly keep the reader guessing.

Sarah Conley focuses on the strengths of a love, of a friendship, of a family, of one woman. The timeless binds between Sarah and these relations are underlined, as is Sarah's strength of character.

What makes the story interesting, however, is Sarah's fall from her pedestal of strength, for the reader then sees the beauty of human weakness. Through Sarah, the reader sees the importance of occasionally letting raw emotion overcome logic, even if strength is compromised.

Sarah Conley is an unforgettable literary character. Her tragic past has only created a beautifully complex character that the reader can not only identify with, but strive to become.

This novel is about a rekindled love affair, but more importantly, it focuses on the strengths and tender weaknesses of one very interesting woman.

- Gina Hamadey

09-29-98