Risa is afraid of Sav and miserable. She wants out of their marriage but she is religious and her parents, devout Catholics, would never accept her divorcing Sav even though he is unfaithful and abusive.
Giulia Taverna, Risa's 24 year old sister, is staying with Risa and Sav. And then one night Sav tries to strangle Giulia. Risa takes an iron skillet and bashes Sav's head in, killing him. The right thing to do is to call 911 and explain it was self-defense. Sav was trying to strangle Giulia. And a few days prior as a joke Sav pointed a gun at Risa and baby Fav. There were witnesses including Sav's friend Christopher (Chooch) who was disgusted by what Sav did.
But instead of going to the police Risa, Giulia and Chooch (who they call over for help) decide to tell no one what happened. They drive all night to upstate NY and bury Sav's body on the grounds of Chooch's mother's abandoned house.
As the years go by it looks like Risa, Giulia and Chooch have gotten away with what they did. Everyone in the neighborhood believes that Sav is just the kind of character who would pack up and leave his wife and baby. And you would think knowing they got away with it that Risa, Giulia and Chooch would be able to get on with their lives.
But of course they can't. As the years and then decades go by their conscience and their anxiety will not let them forget that night. And then there is Fab who was eight months old when his father died. Fab's been told his father skipped town but in part four of the book it is 2004 and Fab who is now 18 has questions and he wants answers.
Saint of The Narrows Street is a gritty and sad novel about the dangers people can get into when they make the wrong choices in life. It's a novel about regret, deep regret. But it is also a wonderfully written character driven novel. I will not forget Risa, Giulia and Chooch anytime soon.
A starred review from Publisher's Weekly and I agree.
No comments:
Post a Comment