Polite Calamities
Colourful and blunt, Winnifred Hurst is not a typical Rhode Island society wife in 1965. The wealthy housewives of Wave Watch refuse to accept her no matter how desperately she tries to fit in, and her husband’s unexpected death early in the novel isolates her even more. Eventually, Winnifred finds a creative solution to her loneliness with the help of new friends.
It is refreshing to read a novel that foregrounds the importance of women’s friendships. Neither careers nor romantic love are the focus, and Winnifred’s longing for a close friend is poignantly depicted. However, the novel gets off to a rocky start. Winnifred’s awkwardness around her husband’s wealthy colleagues and their wives is understandable, but she and the other wives say exactly what they think, more like mean schoolgirls on a playground than sophisticated adult women. It’s also difficult to understand why Winnifred tries so hard to fit in, exhausting herself cleaning and baking for a ladies’ meeting at her house that nobody bothers to attend. One would expect a dramatic reaction to this snub, especially in her fragile state as a new widow, but she merely eats a slice of quiche and quietly misses her husband.
The novel improves as it progresses, with Winnifred moving into new and believable stages of grief. Her growing friendship with artist and secondary protagonist Marie is fascinating, but the point of view of haughty housewife June, whose storyline is more conventional, isn’t necessary.
Vivid descriptions and lyrical passages abound: the reader can smell the salt of the beach and the alcohol-soaked parties Winnifred throws. Readers who seek stories about deep friendships between women and who are patient enough to ride out the clunky bits will find much to enjoy.
