tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post2787397186271212884..comments2024-03-28T02:47:41.111-05:00Comments on Smoke & Mirrors: Literary Wives #12Lynn @ Smoke & Mirrorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00464153596817995684noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-8461284396947261602014-12-02T12:58:34.509-06:002014-12-02T12:58:34.509-06:00Yes, I chose not to mention her almost dying as a ...Yes, I chose not to mention her almost dying as a result of the ocean-going trip to the U.S., but I couldn't imagine the desolation you might feel at never being able to return. Especially for her, since as virtually all of us mentioned, family was ever so important to her. I also thought perhaps that was one reason she was willing to start over again with Ciro in the west... Ah, marriage! It is interesting that virtually all the rest of you mentioned you didn't like the "idealized" marriage, but I really didn't feel that way. For one thing, I felt as if they did have their bumps every once in awhile, but really, as someone (maybe Emily?) noted, there was were only about 100 pages of the this book devoted to their married life, so not a ton of information about it... It has certainly prompted some thoughtful discussion! :)Lynn @ Smoke & Mirrorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00464153596817995684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-60304523896657649582014-12-01T21:35:50.162-06:002014-12-01T21:35:50.162-06:00I'm really glad you talked about the immigrant...I'm really glad you talked about the immigrant aspect of it, too! That part of the story was very realistic and moving - especially Enza's struggles with whether or not she could return home. I can't imagine not being able to ever return to my home. :( I just struggled with how easy their marriage seemed. If some people really have marriages like that, I'm jealous!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-83530326770535668392014-12-01T12:08:05.694-06:002014-12-01T12:08:05.694-06:00Thanks for stopping by, Emily! I agree with your a...Thanks for stopping by, Emily! I agree with your assessment of the marriage ownership; I felt she included it to depict what was acceptable at that time, but then gave Enza the right to choose. I have been told that my ancestors on both sides emigrated from Germany due to required military conscription, and this was WAY before WWI or WWII! That took real courage, in my opinion! Reading books like this make me want to know more about them.Lynn @ Smoke & Mirrorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00464153596817995684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-33418032879894376502014-12-01T10:50:14.288-06:002014-12-01T10:50:14.288-06:00Welcome to the LW co-hosting group, Naomi! I agree...Welcome to the LW co-hosting group, Naomi! I agree. Enza made me feel lazy, too. I'm pretty sure there are still people arriving in the U.S. as immigrants who do do work this hard and mainly send money back to their home country for their family members. Of course, working conditions have hopefully improved for the better overall, for everyone, but particularly for those least able to advocate for themselves. (I'm thinking of the harassment and physical attack Enza endured...) As Emily noted, this book had much to say about husbands, too! Ideally, I think there should be agreement between both parties' definition of each person's role within the relationship. Good point! How much does a woman rely on her partner to define her role as wife? I assume it would be the same quandary regardless of her partner's gender... And I'm sure it varies greatly. My personal feeling is this matters much less to most females now than it did in the past...Lynn @ Smoke & Mirrorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00464153596817995684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-11810141958358401202014-12-01T10:31:28.466-06:002014-12-01T10:31:28.466-06:00There was an awful lot of ownership in marriage in...There was an awful lot of ownership in marriage in this book, and thanks for pointing it out! I felt like Trigiani, in an effort to idealize her characters and their love, brushed over that part of it and made it seem worthwhile or right or okay because Enza was choosing it or not choosing it. And great point on the immigrants and how important that story is to our heritage. My own great grandparents came from Spain, and I'm always intrigued by books that explore this difficult transition because it helps me to imagine what my own ancestors went through.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-53739477124071549772014-12-01T10:29:48.842-06:002014-12-01T10:29:48.842-06:00I think you need to do what works for you, Kay! I ...I think you need to do what works for you, Kay! I know many readers who simply refuse to waste time on a publication they cannot "get into," and I admire that. Lynn @ Smoke & Mirrorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00464153596817995684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-24283054111583874142014-12-01T09:43:03.160-06:002014-12-01T09:43:03.160-06:00So glad you liked it! You will have to let us know...So glad you liked it! You will have to let us know what you think about her other books, as well! Like me, it sounds like one of your favourite parts about this book is the immigration experience. I wondered how many people living here, now, would be willing to cross the ocean to a new country to work their fingers to the bone and send all the money home to their family. Enza made me feel lazy. :)<br />I'm not usually a big fan of 'love at first sight', but it didn't bother me in this book. It was done quietly, and I liked that both Enza and Ciro could have been been happy even if they had never found each other again. They didn't spend their time pining away, but when the opportunity came, they chose to be together.<br />I liked what you said about hoe Enza would have ended up being an entirely different wife with Vito than with Ciro. Partly because having a wife meant different things to the two men. It makes me wonder: How much of being a wife is defined by the husband and how much by the wife? Naomihttp://consumedbyink.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883575980086212146.post-56822796025977640112014-12-01T07:47:12.854-06:002014-12-01T07:47:12.854-06:00You have some interesting insights, Lynn. Maybe I ...You have some interesting insights, Lynn. Maybe I should have stuck with this a little longer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com