Oh William!

It sometimes take time to know and forget who our spouse might be. Just like we know and forget who we are ourselves. I think Lucy Barton didn't know herself well enough when she married William. And William had no way of knowing who he was because he'd been lied to his whole life.

The book starts with Lucy and William, long divorced, both grappling with their current states of their significant relationships. William seems happy enough with his younger wife and a new young daughter, much younger than the two daughters he had with Lucy.

Lucy is widowed from her second husband who was nothing like William. But now she's alone except for the time she spends with her grown daughters, mostly shopping. This leaves her plenty of time to wonder why her early family life left her so traumatized and why William cheated on her which led to their divorce.

I love how Elizabeth works these two characters back into each other's lives later in life. Their “necessary conversations” have them exposing one another. When the author confines them in a car or on a plane, very real conversations occur that eventually leads them to silence and thoughtfulness. Over and over. Excellent book!