The Forgotten Waltz

THE FORGOTTEN WALTZ

by Anne Enright

 

Award: Carnegie Winner 2012

 

Nomination: Women’s Award Finalist 2012

 

Date Read: October 22, 2023

 

This beautiful novel and my favorite so far by Enright, follows a love affair between Gina and Sean. When I say love affair, I mean affair. Both are married to other people – Gina to Conor and Sean to Aileen. They make a spectacular mess of their lives when the fallout of their affair comes due. But Gina believes she is truly in love with Sean.

 

All of this drama ensues during a financial recession of Ireland and Gina needs to get out from under two properties that just won’t sell – her mother’s house who has recently passed away and the house she purchased with Conor which she can no longer afford. Until the uncertainty becomes certain, Gina is living, somewhat occasionally with Sean, in her mother’s home she co-owns with her sister.

 

Sean, Gina discovers, has never left his wife. While Conor and Gina have split, Sean keeps one foot in the door with his wife, most likely because of their daughter Evie. Conor and Gina, fortunately, have never reproduced. Sean loves his daughter profoundly and is concerned for her well-being after her childhood was fraught with seizures which seem to have diminished with age.

 

Gina is certain about her love for Sean but Sean is never able to be pinned down about his feelings. He has had affairs before and treats Gina almost as poorly as his wife. Gina has never cheated before and is carried away by the danger, forbiddeness and general hotness of it. 

 

What makes this novel a spectacular success if Enright’s prose and observations which are magic. She is a master manipulator of language and I could have continued this novel forever. I am in awe.

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