The Parting Glass
In the mucky streets of New York in 1837, fraternal twins Maire and Seanin O’Farren have carved out a tenacious but unsteady place for themselves as hired help in the posh and visible Walden family. While Seanin cannot hide his Irishness and works with the horses, Maire hides her name and accent as the avid and careful lady’s maid to young debutante Charlotte Walden. Maire also hides her deep attraction to Charlotte, which is all the more painful when Charlotte requests midnight visits from Seanin. These visits slowly evolve into an ever more dangerous game between the three players, made particularly contentious when Charlotte must choose a husband among the glittering suitors her mother parades through the Walden home. Everyone is caught in the mechanisms of society that feel unstoppable.
The slow unfolding of Maire’s story is well-done as Guadagnino reveals details morsel by morsel. Several implications about the supporting characters are left for the reader to wonder about after the book ends, which is always an excellent way to allow us to mull after the book closes. The careful explanations of life in the Walden house are well-drawn, and anyone who has watched Downton Abbey will feel right at home. The love triangle is refreshing and unusual, though at times it was surrounded by a novel that felt like it was trying to do too much at once. I was never sure what about Charlotte’s character made her so desirable, other than her looks and smell. And the villain who seals everyone’s fates is a bit convenient. Still, Guadagnino should be commended for tackling a much-ignored piece of our past and giving voice to those who didn’t have one in 1837.
