The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer is aptly named, and though most of the novel is set in 1950s California, it spans the decades before and after through the memories of its narrator, Pearlie. The phrase “We think we know the ones we love” becomes a bittersweet mantra as she tells the story of her marriage to her childhood sweetheart, Holland. As the phrase suggests, there are many revelations to come, especially when a wartime friend of her husband mysteriously arrives one afternoon. The reader will guess his connection to them long before the narrative makes its big reveal, but that doesn’t make it any less devastating for Pearlie or the reader.
The author includes several large “surprises” throughout, but it is much more satisfying to watch these characters discover what they love and make choices accordingly, all while presenting a wholesome front to the suburban neighbors. The collective fear of nuclear holocaust and communist spies hangs in the air, but even more terrifying is the characters’ own desires when they don’t align with 1950s sensibilities. Exploring these is what ultimately makes this novel such a satisfying read.
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Reviewed by David.
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