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A review by slichto3
The Mountain Lion: A Novel by Jean Stafford
3.0
The Mountain Lion is a wonderfully written book with deep, realistic characters, but, at the same time, it feels meandering and focus-less. There's a lot to learn and enjoy in it, but I'd hesitate to recommend it.
The story is through the eyes of Molly and Ralph, siblings growing up in some small town in I want to say California. The book starts with them as children. They're both weird and isolated kids. They don't quite fit in with the other children at school (although we don't really get to see that), and they don't fit in at home with their two older sisters and widowed mom. They both had Scarlet Fever shortly before the book began, and are still somewhat sickly. As such, their mom doesn't give them as much opportunity for adventure as they would like.
They stick close to each other, but the relationship is tenuous. Molly's smart, and Ralph not so much. Molly, especially as a child, follows Ralph around a lot, which Ralph resents. Their relationship is really the core of the novel, and it's tense and complicated.
One person the kids do vibe with - their Grampa Kenyon. He's a rancher that spends most of the year in Colorado. The kids love spending time with him, and dream about visiting him. Unfortunately, he passes away near the beginning of the book, and the ranch (and some of the children's affection) is transferred to Kenyon's son, Claude. From here, we see the two misfit children grow up and change. This change, in both children, is a bit off-putting. Ralph attempts to fit the mold of the stereotypical masculine man and struggles with repressed sexuality. Molly struggles to fit in the world of women, because she is not attractive and can actually think for herself.
And, that's pretty much the story. There's no real central conflict, just a view of these kids changing and clashing against one another and their environment. As such, the book drags. It's not clear where it's going, so not much propels it forward. Instead, it's more a character-driven novel, and on that front it is incredibly sad, insightful, and complicated. I really admired the way the author wrote about both characters. They are written so honestly in their flaws, which makes for unique and engaging reading, although it doesn't really set your spirit afire.
I felt a lot of sympathy for both Ralph and Molly. Neither ever really gets the support that they need, and both feel out of place in a very real way. They also just seem unhappy, without anyone to lean on. There's not much positivity or joy to be seen with either, particularly as the book goes forward. It made me wish that I could reach out and tell them both that they can be whoever they want to be. Still, both Ralph and Molly develop into rather unlikeable people. They both are kind of jerks, while also being incredibly vulnerable. A lot like real people.
The prose of The Mountain is quite lovely. It's beautiful without feeling like it's trying to be beautiful. On the same token, it's insightful without feeling like it's trying to push its insightfulness. Simply wonderful yet unobtrusive writing.
I have conflicted feelings about the book. On the one hand, I liked the writing and the realism of the characters. On the other, I found the characters difficult to like and the story itself unpleasant to read. Hence the three star rating. But if you're more interested in those realistic characters, maybe you'll enjoy this more.
The story is through the eyes of Molly and Ralph, siblings growing up in some small town in I want to say California. The book starts with them as children. They're both weird and isolated kids. They don't quite fit in with the other children at school (although we don't really get to see that), and they don't fit in at home with their two older sisters and widowed mom. They both had Scarlet Fever shortly before the book began, and are still somewhat sickly. As such, their mom doesn't give them as much opportunity for adventure as they would like.
They stick close to each other, but the relationship is tenuous. Molly's smart, and Ralph not so much. Molly, especially as a child, follows Ralph around a lot, which Ralph resents. Their relationship is really the core of the novel, and it's tense and complicated.
One person the kids do vibe with - their Grampa Kenyon. He's a rancher that spends most of the year in Colorado. The kids love spending time with him, and dream about visiting him. Unfortunately, he passes away near the beginning of the book, and the ranch (and some of the children's affection) is transferred to Kenyon's son, Claude. From here, we see the two misfit children grow up and change. This change, in both children, is a bit off-putting. Ralph attempts to fit the mold of the stereotypical masculine man and struggles with repressed sexuality. Molly struggles to fit in the world of women, because she is not attractive and can actually think for herself.
And, that's pretty much the story. There's no real central conflict, just a view of these kids changing and clashing against one another and their environment. As such, the book drags. It's not clear where it's going, so not much propels it forward. Instead, it's more a character-driven novel, and on that front it is incredibly sad, insightful, and complicated. I really admired the way the author wrote about both characters. They are written so honestly in their flaws, which makes for unique and engaging reading, although it doesn't really set your spirit afire.
I felt a lot of sympathy for both Ralph and Molly. Neither ever really gets the support that they need, and both feel out of place in a very real way. They also just seem unhappy, without anyone to lean on. There's not much positivity or joy to be seen with either, particularly as the book goes forward. It made me wish that I could reach out and tell them both that they can be whoever they want to be. Still, both Ralph and Molly develop into rather unlikeable people. They both are kind of jerks, while also being incredibly vulnerable. A lot like real people.
The prose of The Mountain is quite lovely. It's beautiful without feeling like it's trying to be beautiful. On the same token, it's insightful without feeling like it's trying to push its insightfulness. Simply wonderful yet unobtrusive writing.
I have conflicted feelings about the book. On the one hand, I liked the writing and the realism of the characters. On the other, I found the characters difficult to like and the story itself unpleasant to read. Hence the three star rating. But if you're more interested in those realistic characters, maybe you'll enjoy this more.