Still Life with Monkey

by Katharine Weber

Duncan Wheeler is a successful architect who savors the quotidian pleasures in life until a car accident leaves him severely paralyzed and haunted by the death of his young assistant. Now, Duncan isn't sure what there is left to live for, when every day has become "a broken series of unsuccessful gestures."

Duncan and his wife, Laura, find themselves in conflict as Duncan's will to live falters. Laura grows desperate to help him. An art conservator who has her own relationship to the repair of broken things, Laura brings home a highly trained helper monkey--a tufted capuchin named Ottoline--to assist Duncan with basic tasks. Duncan and Laura fall for this sweet, comical, Nutella-gobbling little creature, and Duncan's life appears to become more tolerable, fuller, and funnier. Yet the question persists: Is it enough?

Katharine Weber is a masterful observer of humanity, and Still Life with Monkey, full of tenderness and melancholy, explores the conflict between the will to live and the desire to die.

Genres: Fiction, Animals, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Katharine Weber's six novels and memoir, all highly-praised, some, award-winning, have made her a book club favorite.

Her eighth book, JANE OF HEARTS AND OTHER STORIES (Paul Dry Books, March 2022), is a collection of somewhat linked stories and a novella.

Her seventh book, the novel STILL LIFE WITH MONKEY (Paul Dry Books), had rave reviews and praise:

"Stark and compelling . . . Rigorously unsentimental yet suffused with emotion: possibly the best work yet from an always stimulating writer."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Katharine Weber's Still Life With Monkey is a beautifully wrought paean of praise for the ordinary pleasures taken for granted by the able-bodied. In precise and often luminous prose, with intelligence and tenderness, Weber's latest novel examines the question of what makes a life worth living."―Washington Post

"[A] deeply but delicately penetrating novel."―New York Times Book Review

"Weber's unsentimental and poignant examination of what does and does not make life worth living is a heartbreaking triumph."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A brilliantly crafted novel, brimming with heart."―Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage

Katharine's previous novel, True Confections, the story of a chocolate candy factory in crisis, was published in 2010. Critics raved: "A great American tale" (New York Times Book Review), "Marvelous, a vividly imagined story about love, obsession and betrayal" (Boston Globe), "Katharine Weber is one of the wittiest, most stimulating novelists at work today...wonderful fun and endlessly provocative" (Chicago Tribune),"Succulently inventive" (Washington Post),"Her most delectable novel yet" (L.A. Times).

Her sixth book, a memoir called The Memory of All That: George Gershwin, Kay Swift, and My Family's Legacy of Infidelities, published in 2011, won raves from the critics, from Ben Brantley in the New York Times ("Ms. Weber is able to arrange words musically, so that they capture the elusive, unfinished melodies that haunt our memories of childhood") to the Dallas Morning News ("gracefully written, poignant and droll"), the NY Daily News ("Old Scandals, what fun...the core of her tale is that of elegant sin and betrayal"), and the Boston Globe (a masterful memoir of the private world of a very public family"), among others.

Katharine was the Richard L. Thomas Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Kenyon College for seven years. She has taught creative writing at Yale University (for eight years), and was an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the graduate writing program in the School of the Arts at Columbia University for six years. She has taught at various international writing workshops, from the Paris Writers Workshop several summers in a row to the San Miguel de Allende Writers Conference and the West Cork Literary Festival in Ireland.

All of Katharine's books have been republished in paperback, some of them in more than one edition, and all are available as e-books. Take note, book groups! In these pandemic times, Zoom visits to book groups can be arranged.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan Wheeler is 37. He suffered a C6 complete spinal cord injury. Passenger Todd Walker, a younger employee in Duncan’s firm, died instantly, from
a car accident. The guilt - sadness - grief - devastating despair from your friend dying while you were behind the wheel and being a immediate paraplegic is unfathomable to comprehend to me. So sad!

Duncan is a successful architect who owns his own firm. Laura, his wife, is an assistant painting conservation technician at Yale University Art Gallery.

Between Duncan and Laura, they really don’t have any extended family to count on.
They were hoping - trying - planning on having a baby too.
Laura is the daughter of a single mother. Her mother has dementia and is living in a nursing home.
Laura cut down her working hours at work after Duncan’s accident to help him, but she also reached out to “The Primate Institute”, where capuchin monkeys were trained to be placed in People’s homes who had spinal injuries. Duncan thought she was crazy at first.
Ottoline becomes their new fury family member.... with bony hairy little hands with long fingers. I loved her instantly.
Ottoline has delicate feelings. When she was still new to the family, she would claimed ownership over Duncan, but be dismissive to Laura when she walked in the room. Then Ottoline would cling to Duncan tighter.
In time .... Ottoline began to trust Laura and became more playful and affectionate with her too.

But life was not all rosy - even with the joy of Ottoline around - Duncan retreated further into himself refusing to see most people. He wanted nothing to do with other “inspiring paragons of quadriplegic life on wheels”. He honestly didn’t think he could live his life. And we don’t know what choice he might make.
This story is a little more complicated than “Me Before You”, by Jojo Moyes ... definitely a different situation anyway.....
I don’t want to give any spoilers...
But life is not easy...
Yet ... there are moments where you’ll smile and laugh.

Besides Ottoline‘s help,....a great monkey helper in many creative ways....
Duncan had a total of five personal care assistants. They did everything from rotating daily morning shifts, including giving him breakfast to transferring him to bed at night. Their annual cost was over $40,000 a year.... and they were better off than most people and their situation. Can you imagine?

Duncan has a twin brother named Gordy. The love between the two brothers is strong and special ...but they’re very different. Laura loves Gory, too... and sometimes is even a little envious of the brothers glow she experiences between them.
Duncan has an Ivy League education from Yale ... Gordy has very little education- is ‘childlike’ in ways - socially awkward- but endearingly accepted for who he is within his close knit community of family and work buddies at a book store where he works.

There are things in the story that are best not to say — But READ THIS BOOK YOURSELF....I can tell you it’s a story that you’ll continue to think about once you’ve finished.
Its beautifully written.
We get close to everyone. We care for everyone..
and wonder ...
“what might I do?”

So much emotional compassion- integrity- taking us on an ethical journey with lovely prose that shines with love.

[Robert Blumenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I was reading this novel, I kept thinking that I would probably be giving it a 4 star rating--extremely well-written, very intelligent and wise, but a bit scattered and plodding plot-wise. However, this is a book that definitely gets better as it goes along. Never truly exciting (this author makes Colm Toibin seem like Gillian Flynn or Steven King). But as the novel develops, I became more involved with the characters and found some very nice moments that were nicely disclosed.

Duncan and Laura are a married couple in their thirties, and they are definitely in love but there are some problems in their marriage. Duncan is the driver in a devastating car accident where his young assistant is killed and he is severely paralyzed. To assist him in his recovery, he and Laura use the services of a helper monkey to perform some menial tasks for him. Duncan only has the partial use of his left hand so he really needs the help. They also employ various personal care individuals for other large scale assistance. Not a whole lot happens plot wise, and there are some detailed descriptions of art restoration and architectural design that were a bit tedious for me. But there are some wonderful moments involving his twin brother and also an encounter with some young neighborhood children. And the use of the monkey is rather subtle. This story definitely does not just center around the monkey and the assistance she offers. It is much deeper and more complex than that.

The book became deeply moving at the end, yet avoided the pitfalls of sentimentality and melodrama. This author is obviously very intelligent, emotionally wise, and aesthetically cultured and sophisticated. I enjoyed her cultural references and the way the characters always seemed real and consistent to expectations. If not looking for an involving or plot-driven affair, this can be a most satisfying read.

[Bonnie Brody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katharine Weber has written a spectacularly moving novel that examines what makes a meaningful life. Duncan Wheeler, a successful architect, is driving his car with passenger Todd Walker, a young architect he is mentoring, when he is involved in a fatal crash. Todd dies and Duncan becomes a quadriplegic. Duncan's wife Laura, an art restorer at Yale, decides that a monkey helper is the perfect thing for Duncan. She contacts the institute where helper monkeys are trained to assist humans in need, and Ottoline, a capuchin monkey, is assigned to the Wheeler home. At first Duncan is resistant, then skeptical, but gradually learns to accept and even love Ottoline, who knows many commands, is sweet, helpful, and intelligent.

Though very successful financially and a partner in his prestigious architectural firm, Duncan has always felt that he has compromised his uniqueness to succeed professionally. While in grad school he designed the one home he considered remarkable but it was never built. He has followed obligingly in the steps and vision of his mentor, leaving his own creative vision behind. He actually questions if he ever had a true vision of his own.

Duncan has an identical twin, Gordy. Duncan was the first born and always the 'successful one'. Gordy has struggled through life and is awkward in social settings, not highly educated, and has never had much career motivation. For most of his life, Gordy lived with his mother but now rents a guest home on someone's property. He works in a book store where they are very accepting of his uniqueness. He loves Duncan unquestioningly and, in a certain sense, they are very close to each other.

Once he is discharged from the hospital, Duncan finds his days unbearable. Even with Ottoline and Laura helping him, along with a team of hired help, he feels 'less than'. He can no longer do the simplest activities of daily living and is dependent on others for all his basic needs. He spends most of his days looking out his home window and watching the goings on of his neighbors. Once he and Laura had an active life and were trying to conceive or adopt a child but now he sits in his wheel chair ruminating on what once was. "He simply hadn't allowed himself to understand that daily life as he had known it was over. He simply had not begun to imagine what it was really going to be like to live this new, constricted life in his own house. And now here he was. How could anyone live this way?"

Duncan's character is fully fleshed out as are Laura's and Gordy's. I felt like I could inhabit their world and understand who they were. I love the title of this book which can be interpreted in more than one way. Does the title refer to a 'still life', a portrait of a family set in time, or does it refer to the fact that Duncan still has a life despite the magnitude of his injuries?

The parts about Ottoline are wonderful. I hadn't known that capuchin monkeys were used as human helpers but it makes sense. They are relatively small and agile, their fingers capable of buttoning and unbuttoning shirts, using a remote and even gently ministering to their human by stroking a face or head. The author plans to donate a portion of the profits from the sale of this book to Helping Hands, an organization that trains capuchin monkeys to help humans in need.

[Jennifer Blankfein · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a special treat and enlightening to attend an author talk, and recently I was thrilled to hear Katharine Weber speak about her new book, Still Life With Monkey with contributing editor and former Book Review section editor for Publisher’s Weekly, Sybil Steinberg. Between research and literary knowledge, the intelligence on the stage was vast. With sophisticated language and deep characters, Weber’s Still Life With Monkey is a must read for all book groups. There are many stories within the story and much to discuss.

Duncan Wheeler is a talented architect and owner of his own firm in New Haven, CT. He was visiting his Thimble Islands site and while driving home on I95 with his assistant, was in a car accident. His assistant was killed and he survived but suffered injury that resulted in becoming a quadriplegic. His wife Laura, is an art conservator at the Yale Art Gallery, fixing broken things for a living. She sees Duncan fall into depression, and while she struggles with her own thoughts of letting go her dream to become a mother, she reduces her hours at work so she can take care of her husband. Every day had become “a broken series of unsuccessful gestures”, his will to live is wavering, and so to add to the already growing number of hired aides to help take care of Duncan, and to lift his spirits, she requests a capuchin monkey to become a part of their in home support. Ottoline was feisty, charming and lovable – a welcoming character who gave Duncan some pleasure as he thought about how he might live and how he might exit this life. Will sitting around in a wheelchair all day be Duncan’s life? Is being alive the same as living?

Not only are we forced to ponder what a life worth living may be, but Katharine Weber teaches us about architecture and art conservation, about care for a paraplegic and about helper monkeys. In CT, helper monkeys are not legal, but in MA there is a legitimate program that has been around for close to 40 years called Helping Hands. Katherine had the opportunity to meet a married couple and their helper monkey, Farah on numerous occasions, and witnessed the benefits the monkey provides like buttoning and unbuttoning, page turning, social interaction, bonding and emotional connection. Farah is 7 lbs and 36 years old and is living with her 2nd and last family, as 40 years old is life expectancy for a monkey living in captivity. Weber’s human characters are not based on real people, but Ottoline the capuchin was based on the charming and lovable Farah.

The character of Ottoline adds texture to an already rich story that highlights ideas about twins, children and secrets. Duncan is a twin and had been considered the original, and his brother Gordon, the copy. Duncan had a big life, was highly educated, married with a big job, and in contrast, Gordon had a speech impediment and rode his bike to work at a bookstore. Interesting to examine their relationship and Gordon’s relationship with Laura, Duncan’s wife. Also, worth looking at is the impact the neighborhood children have on Duncan’s mental health, and the effect secrets may have on relationships and self worth.

Still Life With Monkey is a story about life and relationships. It is not a tearjerker yet it is filled with compassion and humor. I highly recommend it for book clubs and discussion.Please follow Book Nation By Jen for all reviews and recommendations.

[Bridget Nowicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a painful book to read! The fact that the author is a professor of creative writing makes me weep for her students. I shared an example of her writing (a half-page long paragraph that was actually a single run-on sentence) with a book group I belong to. All were appalled. One or two run-ons can be chalked up to creative license. The use of many, many, MANY run-on sentences throughout the entire book comes across as a misguided attempt at a signature style. In addition to the writing style, the story itself failed to deliver on the intriguing promise of the back cover's description. I forced myself to finish this book.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I want a monkey," I kept wailing, as I read this novel about Duncan, a paraplegic with a capuchin helper monkey. ("...but not enough to want to become paralyzed").

I read this on a whim, because I liked the cover, because MONKEY, because it's on the short side, but I wound up liking it quite a lot. Aside from the vivid and charming descriptions of life with a well-trained, loving and occasionally mischievous capuchin, it's a moving meditation on what makes life worth living and a rich portrait of a very believable marriage. I also liked the bit of information about art conservatorship (Duncan's wife, Laura, is a conservator).

The monkey has the unlikely name Ottoline, and she seems so human. She likes to watch Animal Planet, she's very cuddly and greedy for blueberries and Nutella, she communicates with touch and with a wide variety of sounds. I just loved reading about her. It's obvious that the author did a ton of research-- and she's donating a percentage of the book's profits to an institute that trains monkeys to be helpers for humans who need them.

It's impossible to read this book without wondering, "What would I do? Would I want to stay alive?" Duncan is subjected to endless physical indignities and medical interventions, has medical attendants who spend hours with him every morning and evening, has lost almost all independence. He used to cook and garden, and now he can't even get an English muffin toasted the way he likes it and he's watching from the windows of the house where he is a virtual prisoner as his garden succumbs to weeds. He points out towards the end that he can't even scratch his own ass. But then there's music, some neighborhood children he's befriended (who are hilarious), the company of his wife and his monkey, his wife's blueberry pie with ice cream, Hitchcock movies. For me, it would be spring-- how do you decide not to be there for another spring, that slow and then fast unfolding?

But- (spoilers below)
















I think I would have made the same choice as Duncan. And I knew he would make it after that scene in which Laura drops the old, priceless 2-headed woman sculpture and it turns to dust. Eventually, doesn't every single precious, irreplaceable life turn to dust, no matter what we do to conserve it?

[Susan Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book. The subject matter is tough- a young man is rendered a quadriplegic after a car accident- but the excellent character development and story telling left me thinking about this book long after I finished it . I read The Music Lesson, a wonderful book about a Vermeer painting by this same author, many years ago, and am so impressed she could write about such a totally different subject. Still LIfe with Monkey gives us glimpses into the world of architecture, art restoration, spinal cord injuries, and helper monkeys, but most importantly how people deal with life when it can be really hard.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Daniel Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weber writes a thoughtful story of a paralyzed architect and his simian helpmate. I found this novel realistic and refreshing in its candor about the struggles of those who depend on others for the most intimate of needs. The author doesn’t make a case for use of monkeys as assistants until the acknowledgements. Overall, a worthwhile and thought-provoking read.

[Kat Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book -- both evocative and provocative, and finest kind reading.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, intelligent, novel with a title that perfectly suits the story.

[Laura Byrd · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me until the end to say whether or not I liked this book and overall it was ok. The title is appropriate in that the timeline of this book in some ways stands still. There are a lot of flashbacks and understanding our main characters lives before the accident, but at times it gets cluttered with too much unneeded detail. The novel has very little movement forward which I thought would come with the introduction of the monkey, but no, not really.

I honestly picked this book up because, "Oh, Monkey!" And the monkey was just a tiny piece of this story that didn't really impact the way this story ended.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monkeying around with the will to live in the face of personal tragedy

Duncan is a successful architect. On his way home from a site visit he has an accident that renders him quadriplegic and kills his passenger, his protege’. The accident leaves Duncan in despair with little will to live. Duncan’s wife, Laura, a professional conservator, nags him into accepting Ottaline, a trained capuchin monkey, as an animal helper and companion. The three, along with Duncan’s twin brother, Gordon, are the personal center of this tale, all of them fleshed out and distinct.

Will the support of Laura and Gordon and the quirky loving bond that forms between Duncan and Ottaline be enough to help Duncan choose life over death? If Duncan cho0ses death, will he have the physical capacity to accomplish suicide without Ottaline’s help?

This novel is beautifully written. The premise is poignant and fascinating; the characters believable and interesting. Read it!

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duncan is a successful, fiancially set architect- partnering in a prestigious architectural firm. He is married to an equally talented art restorer. They live in an inviable home with all the amenities of a well-lived life. Their next step: to conceive or adopt a child. But, one day, Duncan's life as he knew it ended. A car accident - with Duncan as the driver, left him completely paralyzed and his young assistant, Todd, dead.

Friends marvel that Duncan is "still" alive after the horrific accident. Duncan, however, wants to die.
Laura, his wife, tries to complete Duncan's daily activities with medical assistants, motorized wheelchair, bathroom lifts, etc. For Duncan, the fact that he cannot even feed himself or pick up a drafting pencil feels that his life is not living.

Reading about the availability of trained helper monkeys, Laura brings home Ottoline, a capuchin, to keep Duncan company and to do the very basic tasks for him. Ottoline is a delightful addition to the home- she's funny, full of mischief, a well-trained service animal- and for a time, it appears that Duncan's life becomes more tolerable.

The key question: is it enough of a life worth living for Duncan?

[Tisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not read any of K. Weber’s novels, but after listening to her interview on Bookworm, I knew I had to read this one. It’s a fascinating story from beginning to end, and I was completely absorbed by the relationship between the monkey helper and Duncan and Laura. The details of life as a quadriplegic are carefully defined, and the overwhelming effects of a traumatic accident are real. The side story of Laura’s career as an art conservationist is equally interesting, and Duncan’s twin brother Gordon is a brilliant observer. This is a novel I won’t soon forget. I’ll certainly read more of her work.

[Anne Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous book! I was unprepared for how much I loved this book. It started out okay but then gained momentum until I couldn’t put it down. The characters were so richly developed - including dear Ottoline the capuchin helper monkey. The language and the storyline we’re both deep and detailed. the author did an exceptional job of sharing the intimate thoughts and emotions of the characters too. Such a great reading experience.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes a while to see where this is headed, but worth hanging in there. What is a "Say Howdy" in a wrapper?

[Karenclifford61 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish all fiction was as satisfying as this book was. Due to great character development, I felt deep concern for all of Duncan's relationships after his accident (wife, twin, job, himself) and was moved by the gentleness of Ottoline. The evening after I finished this I had a very satisfying cry and appreciated the perspective(s) of Duncan's life after his accident as interpreted by his wife Laura (reached the bottom of a hill) versus that of his simple-minded twin brother Gordon (life continues flowing). This book also explored the creative process of an architect, the politics of art restoration, issues faced by quadriplegia and capuchin monkeys as service animals. DO NOT skip to the end and read the touching letter Duncan dictated to Laura, or the tears will fall too soon.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the clever title as it refers to a helper monkey, a tufted capuchin named Ottoline who is trained to help a 37-year-old paraplegic man. Duncan Wheeler is a successful architect who was severely injured in a car accident which killed his young assistant. This isn't my usual reading fare. As I read more of the new lifestyle that architect Duncan Wheeler must adjust to, I kept asking myself if I was enjoying the book and if I was really going to finish it. But, in spite of the very nuts-and-bolts details of living in a wheelchair as a C-6 spinal cord injury victim, I continued to read. Yes, it got intense, but not graphic. What kept me engaged was the excellent writing and the realistic three-dimensional characters. Author Katherine Weber skillfully described not only Duncan's state of mind and his life both before and after the accident, but she explored the thoughts, hopes, and sense of humor of his wife Laura as well as Duncan's twin brother Gordon. These three characters were so honestly and vividly portrayed that at times I had to remind myself it was a novel and not a true story.

So what about Ottoline, the adorable little monkey? Every time she is in the story, she steals the limelight. The concept of a helper monkey is fascinating to me, and this little furry girl has such personality! Plus she is adorable, comical, and sweet.

This is a thought-provoking novel, and one that I will remember for quite a while. As the book cover notes, "Still Life With Monkey, full of tenderness and melancholy, explores the conflict between the will to live and the desire to die."

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a personal interest in this subject - had considered the possibility of getting a monkey to assist with disabled relatives day to day life - but I honestly did not realize it is a real thing! Fascinating and heartbreaking as I could relate to being a caregiver of a person who could not dress or feed himself. The person's decision to end his life made perfect sense to me... Loved that the main character did "grow" as a person which made his decision all that more understandable.

[Abbieha · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best novels I’ve read in a very long time. Katharine Weber creates real, living characters you care about ( human and nonhuman). The book really affected me, and I am looking forward to trying another book by this amazing, talented author. The main character, Duncan, is an architect who is nearing the pinnacle of his career, enjoying the work and his role as mentor. No, his life and practice aren’t perfect, but he is happy and has a good life. His wife, Laura, is an equally strong character, as is Duncan’s twin brother, Gordon. The book opens with the introductory meeting between a now-paralyzed Duncan and Ottoline, a trained capuchin monkey, who will soon become the fourth major player in the novel. Weber’s use of language is clear and skillful. One of the reasons the book resonated with me is my father has dementia and my mother cares for him with the same devotion that Laura shows. I can imagine my father expressing his appreciation of her care, and his hopes for her future, as Duncan does at one point in the novel, if only Dad could still communicate with my mother that way.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story of a couple—Duncan and Laura Wheeler, an architect paralyzed in an accident and his wife—is funny and smart and sad in equal measures. Weber gets at the shifts and dynamics between the two, the ill and the healthy spouse with an entire marriage's complications already packed into their otherwise smoothly run lives, and paints a sympathetic but not sentimental portrait, sometimes harsh but always believable. The monkey in question is Ottoline, a tufted capuchin "monkey helper" engaged to help Duncan with small tasks, but also a sharply drawn little character in her own right. This is all about relationships: Duncan and Laura, Duncan and his sweet oddball brother Gordon, the Wheelers and Ottoline, and—in stark highlight—Duncan's relationship to his once-comfortable life and his new limitations, the true heartbreaker of the novel. Weber's observations, small and large, are engaging and spot-on, and even Ottoline is given a believable interiority. Good, subtle, smart stuff.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book about many complex issues: paraplegics, infertility, husband wife relationships, siblings, end of life decisions, etc. And little cute monkey helpers. I really enjoyed it.

[Ken Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that will make you value everything in life that we take for granted.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tender characters- not perfect, but relatable, even Ottoline. Rich in detail and a story that is sticking with me.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF page 100.

The main character is suicidal, depressed after an accident leaves him paralyzed. His wife gets him a helper monkey in the hopes this will lift his spirits. Too dark for me.

[Bobbi Dankert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned from the caregiver. A real perspective on living a life not many get the chance to witness. Also, no matter how close you try to be for someone, you really don’t know what they want.

[Leslie Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeously rendered novel about love and loss, compassion, and humor, STILL LIFE WITH MONKEY absolutely wow-ed me.

STILL LIFE WITH MONKEY might not be the first book I would have gravitated toward--but I am so glad I did! Some books select YOU and this is absolutely one of them; I found it immensely moving, well-developed, and poignant.

Duncan Wheeler is a 37 year old successful architect (swoon!) married to a woman who is in art conservation (also, swoon) and they are trying to have a baby...but... Duncan and his intern are in a fatal car accident one day coming home from a site visit. His young intern dies and Duncan is left a quadriplegic, in a wheelchair. Duncan isn't sure if he's truly 'lucky' as everyone says...everyday is a fractured attempt at living the life he once had.

Duncan's will to live falters and his wife, Laura, reaches out to the Primate Institute of New England in effort to obtain a 'helper monkey' for Duncan. Maybe having Ottoline's 'helping hands' around, Duncan won't feel so dependent on others, perhaps his faith in life will be restored.

And for awhile, it does. Ottoline is delightful and charming and quite intelligent. She loves Nutella and peanut butter and is tiny and cute. But Duncan is struggling. He can no longer do many (most) things he once did--though he can consult with his architecture partners--still, life has been reduced to a revolving door of PCAs (personal care assistants), an active mind but no way to actualize his dreams.

The writing is absolutely gorgeous: poetic, yet stark. Characters are sympathetic, well-developed, and made a strong impression. I've been thinking about this book long after I finished the last page and sharing insights with others-- it definitely sparked a conversation or two and would be excellent reading for a book club.

In terms of comps, readers of Jodi Piccoult 's work will appreciate the 'big issues' controversy(ies). It also reminded me a bit of AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE (Tayari Jones) in terms of 'what is a marriage,' and also a similar writing style. Finally, STILL LIFE WITH MONKEY is resonate with Kathryn Craft's THE FAR END OF HAPPY.

For all my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay.com
Special thanks to ShreveWilliams Public Relations for this review copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the middle of one of those first nights, momentarily alone with Duncan in his deep, drugged state amid all the chugging, clicking, beeping machinery, Laura pulled down the sheet and cotton blanket that covered him and touched his chest lightly, rotating her fingertip in a tiny circle, gently centering over his heart, moving outward while avoiding the sticky heart monitor electrodes, tracing the cool surface of his body, skimming all five fingers of her hand across his rib cage and sternum the way he always loved, mapping the equator of his sensory level, delineating what she had been told by one of the nurses was the edge of his feeling and not feeling. She had secretly hoped he would wake at her touch, but he did not. The edge of feeling and not feeling--that was her own address these days.


~~A Capuchin monkey who looks very similar to the way I pictured Ottoline while reading Still Live with Monkey

Weber's short novel depicts Duncan's life, after a tragic car accident transforms him from a high-powered, New Haven architect to a complete C 6 quadriplegic. He and his wife, Laura, navigate their new normal once he returns home, enlisting the aid of a small, highly trained Capuchin monkey helper. Duncan's story grabs you by the heart strings, and doesn't let go. I may not agree with him, but thanks to Weber's story-telling prowess, I understand him. And I'll certainly never forget him. Given 5 stars or a rating of "Perfect". Highly recommended!!

Further Reading A very good explanation of spinal cord injuries from the Reeve Foundation. https://www.christopherreeve.org/livi...
~~A good description of Capuchin monkeys from Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capuchi...
~~And finally, a link to the non-profit website of an organization that really does provide helper monkeys to handicapped individuals. I had no idea this resource existed!! https://www.monkeyhelpers.org/

Favorite quotes: "Laura found herself recalling that Duncan once told her, after driving his brother home on a cold winter night after dinner, that their mother had said more than once that Gordon was someone who tended to catch the conversational ball and put it in his pocket."

"[Laura] talked about Duncan's life before the accident and Duncan's life after the accident, but Gordon felt as if the accident was one continuous event that was still happening, as if Duncan had rolled down some enormous steep hill and landed disastrously at the bottom, but he was still rolling, farther and farther away."

"Whenever Duncan played a new piano piece flawlessly all the way through, the payoff for weeks of diligent practice, Mr. Baner would clasp his hands together prayerfully and tell Duncan that he had a gift. The first time he said it, Duncan had taken him literally and had expected a tangible reward at the end of the lesson, perhaps candy, or a book, but it was just another one of those remarks adults made all the time that didn't really mean what the words meant."

"I loved all my little details of daily life. When I was in charge of them. Now I'm supposed to be the patient patient, just accepting whatever comes my way without opinions or preferences about these things any more, but I still do care. Having a spinal cord injury doesn't mean you no longer care how your muffin is toasted or if your scrambled eggs are overcooked. This is just all too hard."

[Judy Monchuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Still Life with Monkey examines the life most of us hope to never experience: an existence with all of our mental faculties intact, but without the ability to control our body. Duncan Wheeler is a successful architect (but not too successful, as he chose not to push himself beyond the sure thing rewards for his talent), who is left paralyzed after a car accident that kills his young protege. Wheeler's wife brings home a trained helper monkey to assist him with daily tasks, a loveable capuchin named Ottoline. The childless couple grow to love the high-spirited animal.

Sections of the book are heartbreaking, depicting how a couple copes when their lives and dreams are torn apart. Yet other parts were distractingly frustrating. For example, the first two chapters sketch Wheeler as a perfectionist who has always wanted his achievements to look effortless, to the point of using words that no ordinary person would ever use in conversation or description. "Quotidian" instead of "daily," "insouciance" instead of "indifference," “equipoise” instead of “balance.”

Ultimately, this is a story about privilege and how we choose to accept the hand that life has dealt us. Some of us get more choices than others. Definitely thought-provoking.