A Spool of Blue Thread has a very simple storyline; the everyday joy and rifts that occur within the lives of an ordinary white, middle-class Baltimore family. The Whitshanks are a dysfunctional family like most ordinary families — chained in family bonds and sprinkled with disagreements. Anne Tyler explores the family history and discordant relationships in three generations of the family.
As we get introduced to different members of the family, we meet Abby, the over sympathetic and patronizing mother who adores social work and even invites less fortunate people to family dinners much to the dismay of her children and the husband, Red, who seems to have more regard for his youngest son Stem than the others. Weaved into this is the story of their children and the unknown damages parents do to them while bringing them up. Often you find the same story in different points of view that makes you appreciate how different each person’s perception of the same turn of events is. One such incident is Abby being bowled over by the love story of her in-laws when Red’s mother narrates it to her. As we read further, we see a completely different story in the mind of Red’s father. There are guarded secrets and unguarded scenarios that chisel the family into what it is today.
The book is a family saga told in a lucid manner. Each chapter ends on a suspense note of what follows in the pages to come. You find yourself asking ‘why’ or ‘how’ and when the reasons that force the family members behave in a certain way are revealed, find yourself saying, “Oh, that fits!”. The characters are detailed in their descriptions that make us empathize with the flaws in their actions. Each character is fleshed in profound attributes of admirable traits and imperfections that make them seen alarmingly realistic. Be it the over anxious Abby or unreliable Denny or quiet Nora, the book makes you love each character for what they are.
I enjoyed the story, the writing and the character build up in this one. This would be perfect for a light and breezy read, but definitely not if you are looking for a book with heavy themes to ponder about.
Title : A Spool of Blue Thread
Author : Anne Tyler
Publisher : Vintage
Published : 2015
Language : English
Pages : 480
Rating : 4/5
This sounds like a great read! I’m glad to hear that it will be a nice undemanding read, as it’s waiting on my Kindle and that makes it perfect for the holidays.
Definitely. A perfect book to relax with.
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