THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

This continually compelling story proves mysterious, eventful, richly descriptive and symbolic.  The immensely cold, and seemingly unending winter in Wisconsin, plays into the lives of three lonely, desperate people.

 

Ralph Pruit, a lonely businessman, owns the mill in a small town in Wisconsin, that he inherited from his father.  He runs the town, employing all the families, and does his best to tend to their needs.  After a failed marriage and years of loneliness, Pruit advertises in the paper for a suitable wife.

Catherine Land answers the advertisement.   But Catherine is not who she pretends to be and has a plan of her own. 

Ralph's desire in life, other than finding a wife, is to bring his estranged son home.  Catherine’s arrival spurns Pruit to search for his son.

 

Goolrick paints withering descriptions of icy, cold landscapes offset by colorful, picturesque scenes.  The novel harbors a morality-based theme concerning relationships, redemption, and forgiveness.  Recommended.