Object of Your Love

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY MAY 4, 1998

These nine absorbing tales of passion and isolation set in rural Canada feature spirited women getting even. Take Arctic newcomer Stella, narrator of "Eagle's Bride," who balks at being evicted from her lover's home and destroys a greenhouse built by his runaway wife. Or Loretto in "Memorabilia," who locks her adulterous husband out of the house when it's 30 degrees below zero. And there's Mariah in "The Sum of Its Parts," furiously confronting her rival in a kindergarten classroom. In these stories, errant husbands begging forgiveness are turned away by women they don't recognize, ex-wives who bravely cherish their newfound independence. Not all the endings are triumphant, however. In the funny, bittersweet title story, a hapless dental assistant tolerates her lecherous boss, believing the waiting room couch is a step to the altar. In addition to examining doomed relationships, Speak dissects families: in "A River Landscape," a manic depressive artist undermines her vital support system; in "Summer Sky; White Ship," a long-suffering wife rebels against bullying relatives; and in "The View From Here," a lusty mother whose life is in shambles watches helplessly as her daughter courts danger. Canadian writer Speak is a gifted analyst of the stark realities of life. In this outstanding first collection, she explores the intricate terrain of women's hearts in eloquent and witty prose while deftly demonstrating a mastery of this exacting form.