Departures

by Elizabeth Oness

Three troubled sisters--Pagan, suffering from a difficult pregnancy; Prana, devastated by the breakup of her long-time love affair with a married man; and Zhikr, the reluctant caretaker of her soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend's daughters--find their already complicated lives taking a new turn when their mother, the stable presence in their lives, disappears, leaving word that she will be out of the country. By the award-winning author of Articles of Faith. Original.

Genres: Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

Elizabeth Oness was born in New York and did her undergraduate work at James Madison University in Virginia. She has an M.F.A. in poetry from the University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Her stories have appeared in The Hudson Review, Crazyhorse and other magazines, and have received an O. Henry Prize and a Nelson Algren Award. A chapbook of poems, Sure Knowledge, was published by Parallel Press in 1999. She directs marketing and development for Sutton Hoo Press, a literary fine press.

Her collection of short stories, Articles of Faith, was the winner of the 2000 Iowa Short Fiction Prize and published by the University of Iowa Press. Her first novel, Departures, was published by Penguin Putnam in 2004.

She lives in Winona, Minnesota, with her husband, the poet C. Mikal Oness, and their son.

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really grew into this book, got to know and appreciate each character, but the ending left me underwhelmed and irritated. it did not answer the basic question of why the mother left, in her words, one is left wondering. would have liked (and needed) closure. but first time reading this auther and i really like the story until the end.

[Daryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I am acquainted with the author. While the book is well-written, it's a bit too close to "chick lit" for my tastes, I suppose, although it does have a certain literary aspect to it that saves it from that genre.

[Naina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too many descriptions of very mundane events. This can best be described as a character study of very uninteresting characters. However, Zeke was okay.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, and I'm not even sure I can describe why. This story just touched me on some level and I think of it often.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply moving stories of three sisters as they cope with their mother's mysterious exit from their lives as they all undergo transitions.

[Larisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all let me say as a horse person, the descriptions of riding and horses just warmed my heart. (When she referred to how a horse's mane was pulled and another horse cribbing - I knew I was in the presence of someone who knew what she was talking about. Maybe her descriptions of taking the horse over fences, the little adjustments to stride, etc., bored some, but I was all in.) I liked the story enough but thought it could use a little humor. I also thought the mother was supposed to be a bigger character, even in her absence, but somehow she didn't. At first I was dissatisfied with the ending but the more I think about it, the more it made sense. The whole thing felt a little on the surface for me, but I enjoyed it and would read more by this author.

[Mark Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather than setting out on adventures or missions, the three sisters in this novel each set out to first depart from their current circumstances. Departures take as much effort and heartrending as entries into life circumstances. The most fascinating aspect of this book is the female attraction to partners that have, in some way of thinking, left them already. It is tragic to see people in relationships that at first captivate and seem purposeful but then reveal their underside of darkness. Oness provides us with a strong emotional portrayal of the difficult entry into love and the even more necessary, but difficult, exit.

[Tara Murdock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved each individual daughter’s story and how they each related to their mother’s disappearance. I was all in… just waiting for the big reveal. Then…. Cheated!!! Really??? After all that, that’s how it ends? No explanation? No discussion? No answers?? I feel like this book was half-written and it definitely left me wanting more and feeling like I got cheated. It started so very well, but then ended so badly!!

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that lingers even in its absence

[Cheryl]

LFL find.

April 2021
My eyes are deteriorating and I need to ration book and screen time. I tried this, but p. 37 I just couldn't get engaged, care about these women.

[Susan]

EFL Book Sale 6/10