Review: Goldengrove by Francine Prose

Goldengrove by Francine Prose

Literary Fiction

Harper Perennial (Sept 8, 2009)

ISBN: 978-0060560027

288 pages

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

After the sudden death of her beloved older sister, thirteen-year-old Nico finds her life on New England's idyllic Mirror Lake irrevocably altered. Left alone to grope toward understanding, she falls into a seductive, dangerous relationship with her sister's boyfriend. Over one haunted summer, Nico faces that life-changing moment when children realize their parents can no longer help them as she experiences the mystery of loss and recovery. Still, for all the darkness at its heart, Goldengrove is radiant with the lightness of summer and charged by the restless sexual tension of adolescence.

Let me start by saying that Francine Prose's Goldengrove is a beautifully written, thoughtful novel. It's part bildungsroman, part grief story, and all told by thirteen year-old Nico whose voice is utterly believable. Prose does a great job of conveying the grief that consumes Nico and her parents.

However, for all of the dark and touching moments, and the perceptive observations from Nico, I didn't find myself moved enough to particularly care for this book. The course of events that follow the death of Nico's sister, Margaret, are a lot more sedate than I thought they would, or should, be. Whenever a tense moment would arise, I found myself greatly anticipating some explosive or revealing outcome only for the plot to fall short. I think the blurb led me to expect big blow-ups and heroine that goes of the deep-end slutting around. Maybe that'll teach me not to build a book from a new author up too much in my mind.

Don't let my moderate disappointment deter you though. Goldengrove is an quick, enjoyable, and insightful read. I would like to read more of Prose's work and I'd encourage anyone else to check her out too.

Grade: B-

Learn more about Francine Prose and her novels