The Amendment

by Anne Leigh Parrish

Overview

When Lavinia Starkhurst’s husband is killed in a freak accident, she takes to the open road and meets a number of strangers, all with struggles of their own. Through these unexpected and occasionally hilarious encounters, Lavinia reflects on her past deeds, both good and bad, explores her two marriages, her roles as caregiver and wife, hoping all the while for self-acceptance and something to give her new life meaning.

“The Amendment is nuanced, witty, and insightful, exploring the fetters of family and community that prove impossible to escape. Parrish is a smart, savvy writer with a gift for exploring landscapes of both geography and emotion. Once again, she has produced a work of considerable charm and poignancy.”—Jacob M. Appel, author of Millard Salter’s Last Day.

“The Amendment is a beautifully written story about a new widow’s struggle to wrap her mind around her husband’s death by setting off on a cross-country journey in search of she knows not what. Parrish’s prose is eloquent yet crisp, moving the story along quickly. A delightful must-read, sure to take its place among today’s top literary fiction!”—Michelle Cox, author of The Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series.

Anne Leigh Parrish is the author of Women Within; By the Wayside; What Is Found, What Is Lost; Our Love Could Light The World; and All The Roads That Lead From Home.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940155169413
Publisher:	Unsolicited Press
Publication date:	06/26/2018
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	327 KB

About the Author

Anne Leigh Parrish is the author of seven previously published books: Maggie's Ruse; The Amendment; Women Within; By The Wayside; What Is Found, What Is Lost; Out Love Could Light The World; and All The Roads That Lead From Home. Look for What Nell Dreams, coming November 2020 and A Winter Night, in March 2021.

Editorial Reviews

More a character study than a tautly paced, plot-driven story, The Amendmentis a vibrant, introspective exploration of marriage and motherhood that highlights the power of self-acceptance.

— Stephanie Turza , BookList

"Lavinia's ensuing transformation is at the heart of this novel about self-understanding and new possibilities...For Parrish, road trips make for appealing narratives because they're about escape and bridging past and future."

-- Publisher's Weekly

“The Amendment is nuanced, witty, and insightful, exploring the fetters of family and community that prove impossible to escape. Parrish is a smart, savvy writer with a gift for exploring landscapes of both geography and emotion. Once again, she has produced a work of considerable charm and poignancy.”

—Jacob M. Appel, author of Millard Salter’s Last Day.

“The Amendment is a beautifully written story about a new widow’s struggle to wrap her mind around her husband’s death by setting off on a cross-country journey in search of she knows not what. Parrish’s prose is eloquent yet crisp, moving the story along quickly. A delightful must-read, sure to take its place among today’s top literary fiction!”

—Michelle Cox, author of The Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series.

From the Publisher

2018-04-27
In this novel about an emotionally stunted widow, Parrish (Women Within, 2017, etc.) offers a quiet, fractured study of mourning.When Lavinia Starkhurst hears that her wealthy husband, Chip, has died in a freak accident, she initially thinks it's a joke: "I'm just standing here waiting for the punch line," she tells her husband's best friend, the bearer of bad news. It's a fitting start to this inscrutable novel, which examines the emotional confusion of losing a loved one. Lavinia, in denial about her grief, becomes prone to tears, off-putting jokes, and having one drink too many on an empty stomach. Parrish is an exacting writer who drops keen observations ("She felt haunted, not by Chip's ghost, but by her own cruelty") that make Lavinia's sudden bouts of weeping especially startling. Chip was Lavinia's second husband, and his death leaves her struggling with feelings for her alcoholic ex, Potter. On a whim, she decides to take a cross-country trip from her home in upstate New York to California, much to the concern of her friends and family. Parrish writes about roadside motels and dime-a-dozen diners with a warmth that contrasts sharply with Lavinia's sterile home life. Readers will almost feel the wind in the protagonist's hair as she sets off for adventure. On the road, she meets a somewhat expected array of characters down on their luck, and she's quick to come to their monetary aid. The most effective moments come when she's vulnerable with strangers, as when she spends time in Montana reconnecting with Potter's sister, Patty. At one point, Lavinia endures a last-minute invitation to a funeral, where she's confused for someone else, revealing just how precarious her identity is. Lavinia's trip is marked by impulsive decisions and dropped plotlines, making the whole affair feel like a woozy fever dream. However, readers are rewarded with further study of Lavinia and her past lives, drawing the emotionally distant widow into sharper focus.A meandering tale made enjoyable by the author's rich renderings of characters and their quirks.

Kirkus Reviews