Lagniappe Literature

The story of Norah and David Henry begins in the early 60's with so much promise. Norah and David, a young doctor with dreams to cure and change the world, are expecting their first child. As fate would have it, Norah goes into labor early on a cold and snowy night. Unfortunately, with the blizzard raging, the roads are icy and dangerous and Norah's attending doctor has an accident and drives his car into a ditch and is unable to make it to the delivery. David is left to deal with the crisis alone and calls his nurse to assist in the middle of this blizzard. The nurse, Caroline Gill, is very much in love with David Henry and has based her love for him on one lingering look shared between the two of them during regular office hours. Caroline is a peculiar woman. Quiet. Reserved. Waiting to begin a life that she has envisioned for herself. She had fallen in love with David when she first saw him and began working in the office. David, however untimely for Caroline, met Norah and fell in love and Norah and David married. Caroline contains her love for David rather obsessively and from that once shared lingering look, believes that David Henry may have feelings for her. But for Norah.

Cut to scene in office on night of blizzard. David and Caroline are delivering David and Norah's child. Norah is given gas and is kind of in and out but aware of events. David delivers a healthy son and is in shock to discover that a twin is also to be born minutes later. Norah is shown the son she has given David and is given gas when complications arise during the birth of the twin.

From here, the story takes a very dark turn. David loves his wife and wants to protect her from unseen pain and heartache. David has demons from the past and because he knows of suffering and pain he does not want his young family to suffer the same fate. His intentions are good but miscalculating. Surely, David did not think his decisions through. Caroline, being so in love with David, goes along with David's heartbreaking decisions on this fateful night. Caroline believes that David will come to his senses and change his mind. Caroline does as David requests but makes decisions of her own.
David Henry has just altered the course of every life involved in this story. His life will now be filled with a huge void and many lies. There is no turning back. Caroline Gill has forever altered these same lives, most importantly, her own. Caroline will suddenly disappear.

It is heartbreaking to read how this story unfolds. David and Norah Henry, once so promising, are now consumed with grief and emotional walls that leave David to base his entire life on one lie after another. Norah is left empty and hollow and searching for something within her life. David searches for himself and others in photography, hoping to recapture meaning and growth along the way. Caroline is longing to find roots and happiness and someone to really love and see the real Caroline.

Over 25 years, one family is building. One family is tumbling towards complete destruction. Both are keeping secrets and making memories that will haunt those involved.

I give one a simple review. Nothing too preachy and filled with intellectual mumble-jumble. Ya' just want a review, right? OK. That said, I had originally given this book 3 stars but then I had to come back and edit those stars to 2 because I felt 3 was too generous. What started out to be a really interesting read became dull, repetitive and depressing. Did I say depressing? I had zero sympathy for ANY of the characters and I even despised a couple of them. I should have FELT something when I read this. Again, it starts off well. I really thought I had chose a great book. Once the chapters began to add up, so did my boredom. Instead of racing to the end to find out what happens next I was just hoping to finish with this dull,lifeless book.