All He Ever Wanted
3 journalers for this copy...
Anita Shreve's "All He Ever Wanted" makes a promising start by capturing a stunning moment in time. College professor Nicholas Van Tassel is changed forever when he spots a beautiful young woman, Etna Bliss, in a city street during a hotel fire. He knows in an instant that this woman is indeed everything he ever wanted. And he will stop at nothing to meet her, know her, love her and possess her.
The novel, set in late Victorian New England, possesses the proper starched-shirt, tightly-corseted tone of the day. But underneath, Nicholas's passion for Etna (with a name like hers, she must be a volcano inside) consumes his every thought and action.
Unfortunately, it becomes apparent that Etna does not feel the same for the ambitious professor. She is trapped by her gender and lack of fortune, living among relatives who see her more as a personal servant that a woman of worth. As a result, she accepts Nicholas' proposal of marriage. She even confesses that she does not love him. No matter, Nicholas thinks. He's gotten what he wants.
This is where the novel takes a decided turn, or should I say, plunge, for the worse. You know with a sinking certainty that there is no possible way this story can end well and indeed, it does not.
The rest of the novel has a doomed flavor that only grows more gloomy. Etna and Nicholas settle into married life and have two children. The reader is made aware that while Etna dutifully submits to the demands of being a wife, she never grows to love Nicholas as he longs for her to. She throws herself into the role of mother, doting on her children. Little does Nicholas know that whilst doing her charitable work, she has secured a private retreat he knows nothing about.
The sudden appearance of Mr. Asher, the younger brother of Etna's former lover, sends everyone into a frenzy. He's also Nicholas's competitor in the race to become dean of the college. This is when things truly go downhill. Nicholas will stop at nothing to halt Mr. Asher, especially when he learns Asher has a connection with Etna. This part especially disturbed me and made any pity I had for Nicholas to evaporate completely. He thoroughly earns the dislike of his wife and children for acting in such a reprehensible manner to meet his selfish ends.
At the heart of it, Shreve is correct in that Nicholas "wanted" Etna. The problem is that he does not truly love her but the image he has created of her. He never concerns himself with her feelings or hopes, but only strives to fulfill his own selfish desires. And that is not love.
The novel, set in late Victorian New England, possesses the proper starched-shirt, tightly-corseted tone of the day. But underneath, Nicholas's passion for Etna (with a name like hers, she must be a volcano inside) consumes his every thought and action.
Unfortunately, it becomes apparent that Etna does not feel the same for the ambitious professor. She is trapped by her gender and lack of fortune, living among relatives who see her more as a personal servant that a woman of worth. As a result, she accepts Nicholas' proposal of marriage. She even confesses that she does not love him. No matter, Nicholas thinks. He's gotten what he wants.
This is where the novel takes a decided turn, or should I say, plunge, for the worse. You know with a sinking certainty that there is no possible way this story can end well and indeed, it does not.
The rest of the novel has a doomed flavor that only grows more gloomy. Etna and Nicholas settle into married life and have two children. The reader is made aware that while Etna dutifully submits to the demands of being a wife, she never grows to love Nicholas as he longs for her to. She throws herself into the role of mother, doting on her children. Little does Nicholas know that whilst doing her charitable work, she has secured a private retreat he knows nothing about.
The sudden appearance of Mr. Asher, the younger brother of Etna's former lover, sends everyone into a frenzy. He's also Nicholas's competitor in the race to become dean of the college. This is when things truly go downhill. Nicholas will stop at nothing to halt Mr. Asher, especially when he learns Asher has a connection with Etna. This part especially disturbed me and made any pity I had for Nicholas to evaporate completely. He thoroughly earns the dislike of his wife and children for acting in such a reprehensible manner to meet his selfish ends.
At the heart of it, Shreve is correct in that Nicholas "wanted" Etna. The problem is that he does not truly love her but the image he has created of her. He never concerns himself with her feelings or hopes, but only strives to fulfill his own selfish desires. And that is not love.
Posted on to Perfect Circle.
Journal Entry 3 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, October 4, 2004
Arrived today, thank you very much Vespa.
Journal Entry 4 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, October 18, 2004
The start of the novel seems to promise a love story. I settled down for some good-old fashioned romance. However, the revelation that Etna does not love Nicholas and marries him seemingly to escape her present situation, brings to the fore Nicholas's obsession with a woman who doesn't exist.
By the end of the novel he has sunk to new depths to keep his wife and ultimately loses both his wife and daughter because of his failure to see beyond the image of Etna he created.
By the end of the novel he has sunk to new depths to keep his wife and ultimately loses both his wife and daughter because of his failure to see beyond the image of Etna he created.
Released on Friday, January 07, 2005 at about 4:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Postal Release in Controlled release, England United Kingdom.
RELEASE NOTES:
posted to Luintaurien
RELEASE NOTES:
posted to Luintaurien
Got it today. Thank you
