Moopy Book Club (October): Richard Yates - "The Easter Parade"

[Cerro de Casa]

Recommended by @jivafox

From goodreads.com:

In The Easter Parade, first published in 1976, we meet sisters Sarah and Emily Grimes when they are still the children of divorced parents. We observe the sisters over four decades, watching them grow into two very different women. Sarah is stable and stalwart, settling into an unhappy marriage. Emily is precocious and independent, struggling with one unsatisfactory love affair after another. Richard Yates's classic novel is about how both women struggle to overcome their tarnished family's past, and how both finally reach for some semblance of renewal.

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

Ordered this today, as I couldn’t find the version with the nice cover above in store.

 

[jivafox]

Ordered this today, as I couldn’t find the version with the nice cover above in store.

Yes! It’s all about that nice cover.

I got sent the shitty dresses one.

 

[Cerro de Casa]

Love it so far. @jivafox has excellent taste, no surprise there...

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

My copy arrived today, will start reading when I’m finished with the current book.

 

[Cerro de Casa]

Got the day off today and finished it this morning. Absolutely beautiful - and why have I never read more of his work ?

4/5

 

[jivafox]

This is probably his most depressing book. Absolutely relentless but yes, so beautiful at the same time.

I recommend reading his other work. Revolutionary Road is an obvious one, but I also recommend Cold Spring Harbour and his Collected Short Stories are a MUST.

 

[Cerro de Casa]

I am such an Emily it's not even funny.

And why is this not a film yet starring Cate Blanchett and Emily Blunt as the Grimes sisters (Glenn Close as Pookie of course)?

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

Fucking hell, this was way too morbid and that unsettling ending is making me want to call my big loud family and stay close to them for the rest of my life.

The story lacked any kind of hope and warmth and despite the characters being so cold and detached in the way that only some white people can be, there were still a lot of horrifying things that were relatable.

3/5

 

[Cerro de Casa]

Fucking hell, this was way too morbid and that unsettling ending is making me want to call my big loud family and stay close to them for the rest of my life.

The story lacked any kind of hope and warmth and despite the characters being so cold and detached in the way that only some white people can be, there were still a lot of horrifying things that were relatable.

3/5

My kind of book / story

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

I do love melancholy, but this was pure depression. Still a great book glad I came across it.