Aberration Of Starlight

ABERRATION OF STARLIGHT

by Gilbert Sorrentino

 

Nomination: PEN/Faulkner Finalist 1981

 

Date Read: January 13, 2021

 

Aberration Of Starlight follows four people on a vacation in a boardinghouse during the Depression. Through various literary devices, Sorrentino shows us their inner and outer worlds as they struggle with past relationships, future relationships and what it means to be family.

 

John is the father of Marie and she is the mother to Billy. John’s wife has recently died and neither John nor Marie are shedding very many tears as she was an unfriendly soul. Marie is also dealing with the loss of her ex-husband who left her for another woman. Instead of turning to each other for comfort and support, father and daughter seem to be at odds as they both confront their grief.

 

At the boardinghouse is another guest, Tom, who instantly falls for Marie. While all outward appearances paint Tom as a successful, potential suitor to Marie, her father definitively does not approve of Tom courting his daughter, calling her out for coming home late, criticizing her wardrobe, her mothering of Billy, her choices in men. While John is of the “old school” he makes Marie’s life a living hell.

 

I found this novel spotty. Parts of it were interesting while others I could have lived without knowing. Tom’s inner dialogue about trying to bag Marie was so disgusting, it made my stomach turn. Then again, that shows Sorrentino’s ability show the good, bad and ugly of people. If someone was privy to my inner thoughts, I’m sure they would be disgusted too.

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