Just finished this book- It was a hard one. I love Wally Lamb books. I remember reading She’s Come Undone in high school being totally flabbergasted that this book was written by a guy. He had tapped so perfectly into the female mind… I had to remind myself that the words written where by a man and not a woman- which made the book all the more better. Then it was Oprah Book Club book- after I read it- which made me feel cool that I was ahead of the Oprah Book Club curve (I managed that with a couple of reads!! Go me!!). Then came I Know This Much is True. OMG. I was beyond enthralled by this book. I was reading it when I was interviewing for case management/social work positions- which was fitting seeing it was about twins where one’s schizophrenic and the other isn’t. I was excited about the book and stepping into my career as a social worker helping the mentally ill- It was al meant to be….
Sadly the SW career wasn’t a life long position- crap pay, crap treatment, and people too busy playing victim sucking the life out of me pretty much killed the dreams I had in college about working in the field. I spent time putting out fires that I couldn’t actually help people wanting to progress actually do so… I still love learning about the field- but I just can’t work in it. I really blame the drug addicts- they are the one’s that really killed me….it’s been years and I can’t watch shows like Intervention because I get all worked up and have my own little PTSD flashback.
I digress- this is about Wally Lamb, not me quitting social work.
I’ve been waiting with baited breath for his next novel, so when I saw on Amazon The Hour I First Believed was going to be released in November- I did a little happy dance. I bought the book just before Christmas- and I just got to reading it last week.
I can’t say I loved it as much as his first 2 books, but it wasn’t horrible either. It was way more depressing that the others. His books tend to have a somber tone to them- people dealing with hardships and adversity- but somehow in the end, things aren’t perfect but they learn from them, make the best of the situation, and things end more positive than they began. The characters in this book seem to suffer blow after blow- starting with Columbine (where Maureen, the main character’s, Caelum, wife, was actually in the school hiding out when the attacks occurred)- going to drug addiction, vehicular manslaughter, mental illness, death, prison, unraveling of family secrets… It’s just one thing after another, Caelum and Maureen take 1 step forward and 5 steps back- consistently. I just kept hoping that something positive was going to happen for them- some sign that said they’ll be all right and get over a decade long hump of just a shitty life. And it doesn’t really come. After the final blow- there’s about 20 pages left in the book and quick brushing over of how life is getting more bearable.
At one point in time- I was telling Tuschka about the book- saying that if it doesn’t perk up soon, I might have to slit my wrists because it’s just so damned depressing. I felt weighted down by all the crap being dealt out to Maureen and Caelum.
I almost feel the book needs a warning label for those susceptible to vicarious mental illness. I’m sure that starting it just after finishing Marley and Me (and the subsequent tears it produced) might not have been my smartest move… going from one emotional drain to the next….
Overall- the book isn't horrible- it's just hard to get through because of all the negativity and the lack of hope. I really wasn't sure how the character's were going to come out at the end- if they would even make it to the end.
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