The emotional response
Posted October 23, 2010
on:Every so often I read a book that just punches me in the gut.
Like the book I’m reading right now.
What book is it? Well, I’m nearly done with it, so hopefully a review will show up eventually. This is the second or third time I’ve read this particular book, so I know what happens at the end, I just don’t remember the details. Not to give too much away, but there is a major subplot between the main character and his wife. They have quite the whirlwind romance, she is recently retired from his risky occupation so they understand each other on this incredible level. I have, in the past, described this author as hopelessly romantic, and people always look at me like I’m nuts. But those scenes he writes between the main character and his wife? And later (not really a spoiler) the scenes between the man and his son? they bring tears to my eyes.
But back to shortly after the couple gets married. . . .
they have a few years of blissful happiness. And then something happens. They have a political disagreement, and they realize it’s going to tear their relationship apart. They still passionately love each other and desperately want to protect each other, but it eventually becomes obvious that they can’t be together. this really isn’t a spoiler for the book that you don’t know the title of, by the way.
So I’m reading this last night, and I know what’s coming, because I remember it ripping my heart out last time. I’m sitting there, reading this book, and my husband is sitting across the room, reading his book. and like every five minutes I’m putting my book down and saying “Honey, I love you.”, and he mumbles back “huh? yeah baby, I love you too”. And then we both go back to our books.
After this same mumbled conversation has occured about 15 times over maybe 30 minutes, he finally asks me “Are you OK?” and he sees what book I’m reading. We spent the rest of the evening cuddled on the sofa watching Star Wars.
talk about a fucking emotional response.
8 Responses to "The emotional response"
I know the feeling, doesn’t happen often with me, but it does happen. My wife gets affected more often and I’ve had to comfort her a few times after reading something particularly affecting. Powerful writing that can do it and something to be cherished when you find a book that does it to you.
LikeLike
Oh yeah. Vlad and Cawti’s breakup gets to me every time I read it, too. How in the world can I get so caught up in an imaginary character’s anguish?
Later in the series, when he gets to meet his son for the first time… I get all teary, too.
Happily married for 27 years, I weep for even the fictional folks’ divorces. What a softie.
LikeLike
Pretty sure that break up, if not autobiographical, was pretty close to something very similar in the authors life. He’s full of parallels like that. He can’t help it. It made me really sad, too.
LikeLike
I feel the same way about one of his other books, To Reign in Hell. The way the relationships fall apart breaks my heart. I mentioned to the author once that the book made me miserable, a clumsy compliment I fear was misunderstood.
LikeLike
1 | Leslie
October 23, 2010 at 10:36 am
Sounds like my reaction when watching the movie “The Way We Were” with Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford (1973). Grab the tissues.
LikeLike