The ice chorus : a novel / Sarah Stonich

In the aftermath of an extramarital affair with painter Charlie, Lise retreats to a seaside cottage in Ireland, where she reflects on her recent and distant history. Since we meet Charlie before we meet Lise's husband and son, our sympathies are not immediately engaged as we learn how the affair commenced; we don't know what's at stake. However, with the revelation of layers of memories, including a long-buried secret from Lise's childhood, we become more drawn into the tale. Between the flashbacks, a subplot about Lise's relations with the Conner family is equally engaging. Stonich infuses her prose with sensory detail, appropriate for characters who are keen observers of their surroundings. The constantly shifting time line is occasionally confusing, but finally whether or not Lise and Charlie end up together is beside the point; this is a story about a woman achieving wholeness on her own terms.