Book Review: By Force of Felicity
By Force of Felicity. Suzanne Campbell. Bungalowbiblia, March 3, 2016. Trade Paperback and E-book, 482 pages.
Reviewed by Michelle M. Burwell.
Althea Athnos is a quirky, sometimes compulsive protagonist who often finds herself anxious and trapped in her own mind. In the beginning, Althea has found comfort in her marriage and the simplicity of daily routine. But when her husband passes away unexpectedly, Althea’s already precarious inner world is turned upside down by grief and uncertainty. Concerned about finances and how she will manage her large home, Althea grows paralyzed by fear of the future. In an effort to stabilize, Althea seeks out solace and friendship by moving into Lilybanks, a historic bungalow across town run by three independent, erudite women each with their own peculiarities.
In her debut novel, author Suzanne Campbell creates a story of change, human growth, the power of living in the moment, and the challenges and rewards that come from being tossed out of your comfort zone.
Lilybanks is run by Marian Morissey, a retired English professor, and Marian’s nieces Beebe and Lucy. The women run a daycare at the bungalow and make ends meet by giving tours of the home and running a small arts, crafts, and antique shop. By finding a routine working at the daycare, immersing herself in nature, carving a place in the Lilybanks “sisterhood” and Eckert Tolle’s teaching of the here and now, Althea slowly begins to feel less consumed by grief. For every new situation Althea is nervously tossed into, she slowly begins to wrangle herself from her inner voice that can be demeaning, dark, and burdensome.
Althea finds herself navigating a whole new world without the safety net of her marriage. She is forced to live beyond herself, when she agrees to watch an idiosyncratic friend’s household filled with animals and then advocate on behalf of that friend in front of a community that can sometimes be more consumed by appearances than human relationships. Althea also must navigate a “sisterhood” that is not always as supportive as it appears and a friendship that is platonic and confusing to Althea before growing romantic. Woven throughout is a subplot that portrays Lilybanks’ first owners, Martin and Calla Morissey, and Calla’s clandestine affair with its architect, John Crumrind.
By Force of Felicity is densely written, sometimes rich with description of nature and sometimes esoteric. The dense writing is at points difficult to read and at points rewarding. Patient readers will learn a breadth of vocabulary that is insurmountable. Readers with a longing for a slower-paced life, away from the burdens of being constantly tuned in to technology, will find By Force of Felicity a refreshing change from characters that are technology-strapped.
I found Althea’s persistent, nagging thoughts that rendered her anxious and unable to live in the moment especially relatable. Her ability to strive to live in the now and put herself out in the world, despite her inner grief and turmoil, makes her a likeable and relatable protagonist.
This novel would be particularly enjoyed by anyone going through a major life change (especially grief) and by people who value the small joys of life, including the continuous pursuit of knowledge, nature, animals, architecture, and friendship.