More from Main Street

I've got about 60 pages left to go in "Main Street".  The tone of the novel has definitely changed since I last blogged, which was about about 150 pages ago.  The tone has gotten darker, and more serious.  The humor with which the narrator treated the main character, Carol, has mostly left. There are times when Carols speaks with what seems to be Sinclair's voice, directly berating small town life.  And meanwhile, Carol has fallen in love with a younger man, another village outcast.  Whereas before I didn't feel this would all end badly, I now have no idea how this thing will end.  I will soon know.

I'd forgotten how fun it is to read a novel.  It's different from a movie.  No matter how engrossing the movie is, two hours later and you're done with it.  You go outside, you go eat dinner, and the movie rapidly fades.  But a novel lasts for days (at least with my work schedule).  You get more familiar with the characters...you move in with them for a week or two, or more.  You think about them, you try on their clothes, you worry about their problems.  And you reflect on them...you chew them up and mull them over and wake up realizing you've dreamed about them.  How wonderful.  What a great escape.  What fun!