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Product Description
It is 1950 and, after a disastrous honeymoon night, Ariah Erskine's young husband throws himself into the roaring waters of Niagara Falls. Ariah, "the Widow Bride of the Falls," begins a relentless seven-day vigil in the mist, waiting for his body to be found. At her side is confirmed bachelor and pillar of the community Dirk Burnaby, who is unexpectedly drawn to her. What follows is a passionate love affair, marriage, and family -- a seemingly perfect existence. But tragedy soon takes over their lives, poisoning their halcyon years with distrust, greed, and murder. Set against the mythic-historic backdrop of Niagara Falls in the mid-twentieth century, this haunting exploration of the American family in crisis is a stunning achievement from "one of the great artistic forces of our time" (The Nation). This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
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Linda Schildkraut (USA: NY) (2011/08/11):
This book was all over the map, so to speak. The star-crossed newlyweds and the tragic suicide of the husband lead to the love affair and marriage of the widowed bride and a local lawyer from a well-known and affluent local family from Niagara Falls. But by the middle of the book, the Love Canal ecological disaster and lawsuit rear their heads. Disappointment and tragedy follow, but it all seems a bit forced. The protagonist, Ariah, is so unlikeable that it is hard to see what Dirk Burnaby saw in her. Her treatment of her children is inexplicably remote and her aloofness and sense of superiority to the community and her family, as well as her husband's family,are perhaps of a magnitude too large.Still, I soldiered on to read all 481 pages. There is a small rainbow at the end if you get through it..... appropriate for Niagara Falls.
kerbam1421 (USA: MD) (2011/09/20):
This is a bookcrossing.com registered book.
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