Cameron and Canty

I read two novels that are not my usual cup of java: one is a period piece and one is a "place piece", for lack of a better word. But, they are worth commenting on. Both books deal with inappropriate relationships, in the sense that they are unlikely to work out. Peter Cameron's Carol Glynn is a period piece set in Britain of the 1950's. Most period pieces are set in much more distant times, which, of course, is what makes them period pieces. But, Cameron so evocatively creates the mores and language of this time, that many readers and reviewers consider it this way. The story is about three relationships that are on weak footings, and are part of a wobbly love triangle. The complexities of these relationships and the individuals slowly emerge in the story, which is vintage Cameron. There are a lot of character developments and cross currents simmering beneath a placid surface. In the end, the musical chairs exchange, although not in an arrangement that seems any more stable, which provides a satisfying close to the book. The book is written with Cameron's usual clear prose. I have read two of his other five novels, Andorra and  The City of Your Final Destination, and they are both worth considering.

Everything, by Kevin Canty, is set in contemporary Montana. The dialogue has a slight Western tone to it, not quite a dialect but pronounced, and there are loving descriptions of the landscape, and fishing. Hence, I called it a "place piece". This story is also about relationships that most likely will not thrive, this time among very independent people living in remote mountain areas.  By the close of the novel, there are no white picket fence resolutions, which feels appropriate for the story. Canty develops the characters and several relationships with empathy and without sentimentality.