Tournament of Books discussion

Aquarium, by David Vann



About the Book
In crystalline, chiseled, yet graceful prose, Aquarium takes us into the heart of a brave young girl whose longing for love and capacity for forgiveness transforms the damaged people around her. Relentless and heartbreaking, primal and redemptive, Aquarium is a transporting story from one of the best American writers of our time.

~ Excerpted from the publisher's website: http://www.groveatlantic.com/?title=A...)


About the Author
David Vann was born in the Aleutian Islands and spent his childhood in Ketchikan, Alaska. For 12 years, no agent would send out his first book, Legend of a Suicide, so he went to sea and became a captain and boat builder. Legend of a Suicide has now won 10 prizes, including the Prix Medicis Etranger in France for best foreign novel, the Premi Llibreter in Spain for best foreign novel, the Grace Paley Prize, a California Book Award, and the L’Express readers’ prize (France). Being published in 20 languages, Legend of a Suicide (2008) is an international bestseller and has also been on 40 Best Books of the Year lists in 11 countries, been selected by the New Yorker Book Club and the Times Book Club, read in full on North German radio, and will be made into a film by French producers Haut et Court. David has also been listed for the Sunday Times Short Story Award, the Story Prize, and others. His novel Caribou Island (2011) is an international bestseller being published in 16 languages, on 25 Best Books of the Year lists in 9 countries, shortlisted for the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and will be made into a film by Academy Award-winning director Bill Guttentag. It was read on the BBC for two weeks, selected by the Samlerens Bogklub in Denmark, and shortlisted for the Prix du Roman Fnac and Prix Lire & Virgin in France and also won several local prizes in France. His novel Dirt (2012), winner of the $50,000 St. Francis College Literary Prize 2013, is being published in 12 languages, was longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, was a finalist for a prize in France, has been on eight Best Books of the Year lists in 5 countries, was a bestseller in France, has had cover features in French and Spanish magazines, and is being made into a film. His novel Goat Mountain, published in September 2013, was one of four finalists for the California Book Award in Fiction 2013, longlisted for the Chautauqua Prize, was a San Francisco Chronicle recommended book of the year, and is being published in 11 languages. His story collection, The Higher Blue: A Short Story from Legend of a Suicide, will be published in 2015 or later in languages other than English. He is the author of the bestselling memoir A Mile Down: The True Story of a Disastrous Career at Sea (2005), revised and reissued in Australia and New Zealand in 2014, Last Day on Earth: A Portrait of the NIU School Shooter (2011) (winner of the AWP Nonfiction Prize and a PEN CENTER USA 2012 Literary Awards finalist in Creative Nonfiction, and on the National Book Critics Circle 12 best small press books list of 2011), and a forthcoming memoir Cocodrilo (2015 in Spanish). His next two novels are Bright Air Black (2016) and (spring 2015), which will be made into a film by the producer of The King’s Speech. He has been in documentaries with the BBC, NOVA, National Geographic, CNN, E! Entertainment, and written for the Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, Outside, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Guardian, The Sunday Telegraph, The Financial Times, The New Statesman, Elle UK, Esquire UK, Esquire Russia, National Geographic Adventure, Writer’s Digest, McSweeney’s, and other magazines and newspapers. A former Guggenheim fellow, Wallace Stegner fellow, John L’Heureux fellow, and NEA fellow, he has taught at Stanford, Cornell, FSU, USF, holds degrees from Stanford and Cornell, and is currently a Professor at the University of Warwick in England and Honorary Professor at the University of Franche-Comté in France.

~ Biography from the Author's Website.


Author's Website: http://davidvann.com

Review at AV Club: http://www.avclub.com/review/david-va...


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If you would like to chat about this book, or this author, here's a place to do so!

Happy reading!!

One common element I find in my reading experience of our list of 16 is that the books frequently upended my expectations, where the book I thought I was reading in the beginning became something else entirely as I progressed.

This novel maybe more than any other upended expectations in the way that (view spoiler)[ 1) it begins in such a gentle way, with pretty color pictures of fish and a young protagonist which lulled me into thinking this was a YA sort of read, then 2) a very brief interlude of thinking "oh, this is a story about pedophilia," to be followed just as quickly by 3) the realization that the mother, not the old man, is the monster in this story... (hide spoiler)]

spoiler html used because of us being so high in the thread and because my comment condenses a reading experience that people should definitely move through on their own.

poingu wrote: "One common element I find in my reading experience of our list of 16 is that the books frequently upended my expectations, where the book I thought I was reading in the beginning became something e..."

Yes! Everything you said in the spoiler! This was exactly how the reading flowed, and I loved how the story did that.

AmberBug wrote: "poingu wrote: "Yes! Everything you said in the spoiler! This was exactly how the reading flowed, and I loved how the story did that. "

Even though these threads are "spoil away" I still want to be a little careful so I'll space down...





How did you feel about the final redemption of these characters, that the story ends with forgiveness and harmony? On my first read I felt the ending was perhaps unearned (even though I appreciated getting let off the hook, as a reader, and that the ruthlessness of the former chapters resolved where I could start to heal from them in a way) and I gave the book 4 stars because of it instead of 5. But I have the book again from the library and I have a feeling my sense of it will change on 2nd reading, where I'll see the end as just right.

poingu wrote: "AmberBug wrote: "poingu wrote: "Yes! Everything you said in the spoiler! This was exactly how the reading flowed, and I loved how the story did that. "

Even though these threads are "spoil away" I..."

It's hard to say, I could see this going either way. From personal experience, forgiveness can be hard (especially when it comes to parents). This is one I would really love to read again, I could see myself coming away with a different feeling (knowing what I know now) PLUS it's short. It's definitely one I want to purchase for my shelf (the pictures alone make it worth while).

Also, I don't think the ending ruined it for me, even though it wasn't what I would have felt realistic... but the journey itself made such an impression on me. Perhaps, I overlooked some stuff because of my personal experiences being so close to those of the story?

AmberBug wrote: "
It's hard to say, I could see this going either way. "

Yes, me too. And it would be a completely different book with another ending. Vann's choice to write an ending of redemption and forgiveness vs. revenge and heartbreak is a departure for him I think. Goat Mountain also is a story about a young person in an intense family (to say the least) and it's ruthless throughout and I loved it for that but there's something to be said for an author allowing the reader to feel a sense of resolution, a final harmonic chord vs. leaving us dissonant.

I completely agree, I'll have to read that one though.

Nope, this one didn't do anything for me. I enjoyed the writing, and the idea was fine. But everything just seemed to happen too suddenly and jerkily and I didn't feel any development that would explain the frequent changes in the characters' attitude. Maybe it needed to be longer. And unlike other readers above, I wasn't left with a feeling that the ending signalled resolution, redemption and forgiveness.

My heart sinks. This is the same feeling I had with criticism towards "A Little Life". I don't blame anyone for not liking either book, but Aquarium and A Little Life happened to be two of my favorites of the year. Sometimes I think I measure books by how strong a feeling it brings out in me, sometimes good and sometimes bad. Though, with Aquarium... I think the closeness of the topic and my own personal experiences made this book very effective for me.

So sorry, AmberBug. Although some aspects resonated with me personally, I did wonder whether different life-experiences would have affected my reaction to the book. It sounds as though you may have had those experiences. I agree with you in that I rate books based on the strength of reaction but this one just left me with a strong sense of dissatisfaction.

I totally agree with Lagullande about the pacing and character development in this book being very odd but it worked for me. This novel wrenches the reader forward from scene to scene. Good characters morph into monsters and back again. Aquarium is very different from other novels that way. You could say it fails to deliver on the implicit contract of how a novel works and it's totally fair not to like it.

For me these differences in pacing made the novel an unexpected, ruthless cut to the chase, where Vann took me straight to the Greek-Tragedy heart of this story. He left out chunks of story and backstory on purpose to get that effect but for some readers what's left on the page might not be enough. For me it was like Clytemnestra greeting her husband Agamemnon with loving arms and a few minutes later hacking him to death in his bathtub. Or Oedipus in the middle of making a kingly speech and a few seconds later ripping his eyes out.

Oh, I completely get why someone wouldn't connect with this one. Like Poingu says, the pacing is odd and Lagullande stated how it's jerky, both are completely true. And yet, all that worked on me. I still want to read this one again since it's not as fresh in my mind.

AmberBug wrote: "And yet, all that worked on me. ..."

oh yes, me too, the pacing choices Vann made are what make this book searing and memorable and relentless to me vs. yet another novel about family dysfunction.

I have to think about your pairing of Aquarium with A Little Life as your two favorite reads of the year. Were they similar reading experiences to you? It makes me want to reconsider A Little Life although that would be quite a shift in thinking for me. I wrote one of the most relentlessly cranky reviews of my GR career about it, but now I'm reconsidering what bothered me about it, and feeling how inconsistent I am about suspension of disbelief--I suspended disbelief willingly for Aquarium, through all its extremes, and not at all for A Little Life.

poingu wrote: "AmberBug wrote: "And yet, all that worked on me. ..."

oh yes, me too, the pacing choices Vann made are what make this book searing and memorable and relentless to me vs. yet another novel about fa..."

I don't think you could change your experience with "A Little Life", it was one of those books that you had to let all the disbelief behind and read it with only the emotion. I feel like many people who didn't respond to the book might have been looking at it with a critical eye. However, I would imagine it would be hard to turn back and read the book without all those nuances that held you in disbelief. Interestingly enough, I actually agree with all of that but it didn't bother me when I was reading it, and the focus was never on the abuse but the friendship. I was heartbroken and touched by the relationships (as unbelievable as they might seem), almost a touch of a modern day fairy tale (again, who'd WANT to live that way but who wouldn't WANT to have such a close relationship/friendship with another person).

- Going back to your original question... the reading experiences were similar in some ways but completely different in others. Where I loved all the characters in "A Little Life", I didn't feel that way with "Aquarium" (besides the little girl). While I cried my heart out with "A Little Life", I didn't with "Aquarium" but still felt just as deeply cut.

AmberBug wrote: "I don't think you could change your experience with "A Little Life", it was one of those books that you had to let all the disbelief behind and read it with only the emotion. "

You might be right but I'm trying (at least with the 16 books in our group experience here, as an experiment) to stop getting mad when a book doesn't do what I want it to.

A Little Life lost me on the second page when I was asked to believe that two men in their twenties in the U.S. are both orphans, because I've know very few people that young who have lost both parents. But so what? I could have just said at that point, "oh, this is a highly unrealistic fictional world, let's see why Yanagihara chose to write it that way." I may still not like the book but at least I won't be getting irked at an author for doing exactly what s/he set out to do because of course from that point on the novel keeps getting more and more implausible.

Anyway this new-to-me way of reading has changed my ideas about a couple of books on our list of 16 that were re-reads. One of the books on the list really pushed my buttons in a bad way but I'm going back to try to read it again and to let it tell me its story without me interrupting it with my own opinions. It's weird to be doing this exercise in an event that is all about making room for personal judgments and giving permission to people to express those judgments. It might have occurred to me to try it because I'm not a judge, instead I'm off to the side of that part of what we're doing and just wanting to see what each of these books offers in a positive way.

poingu wrote: "AmberBug wrote: "I don't think you could change your experience with "A Little Life", it was one of those books that you had to let all the disbelief behind and read it with only the emotion. "

Yo..."

I think it's great that you can change your ideas about books like that. Many times I get swayed during these forum discussion of books, just another reason why Goodreads is one of my favorite websites ever.

AmberBug wrote: "poingu wrote: "AmberBug wrote: "I don't think you could change your experience with "A Little Life", it was one of those books that you had to let all the disbelief behind and read it with only the..."

yes, it's interesting how I can be persuaded to like a book more than I first did, by talking it over with others, but I can almost never be persuaded to like it less

I actually hoped to be persuaded to like this book more, and to that end I deliberately read GR comments before deciding my rating. It didn't work though!

Lagullande wrote: "I actually hoped to be persuaded to like this book more, and to that end I deliberately read GR comments before deciding my rating. It didn't work though!"

Before your comments, Lagullande, I hadn't seen any comment on GR that hone in on the storytelling aspects of the novel, the way things happen "suddenly and jerkily," and how that storytelling choice affected your reading experience. Your thoughts made me realize very concretely how I'd responded positively to that same aspect of the story. To me the writing felt representative of the way the young protagonist has her stable, loving home ripped away for the facade it is, and she's suddenly confronted with buried monsters. The suddenness of the writing fit the suddenness of the change in the protagonist's reality.

Most negative reviews seem to focus on the story itself rather than the storytelling, as in "how dare Vann write such an ugly story about a little girl." Not to say that isn't a valid reaction, either. Violence toward children is a theme I never enjoy, never seek out, and yet somehow I was moved and not repulsed by it here. From Ron Charles's very cranky review:

Not surprisingly, Vann’s mesmerizing but grim books are a lot more popular in Europe, especially in France, where they reportedly sell hundreds of thousands of copies. Here in America, where hopelessness is a national sin, he has struggled to find such a wide audience.

poingu -- from ron charles' review, his comment on 'hopelessness' stuck out to me. generally speaking (have not yet read 'aquarium'), i have heard this complaint levelled against books so frequently since being on GR. it's not something i take issue with at all in my reading, so i find it interesting when a reader says 'i need a story to have hope or it's not good'. because i am more like 'sometimes there just really is no hope. why shouldn't those stories be told too? it's a reality for many.'

edited a typo.

Jennifer wrote: "poingu -- from ron charles' review, his comment on 'hopelessness' stuck out to me. generally speaking (have not yet read 'aquarium'), i have heard this complaint levelled against books so frequentl..."

Yes! I say, go read a beach book if you want a happy ending every time. Usually, literary fiction relflects life and nothing is perfect or wrapped in a neat package. Whether it be "no hope", "despair", "lonliness", "hatred", etc... all those emotions that can make people squirm... why shy away from it, when like you said "it's a reality for many". It reminds me of people who don't want to face mortality and death. Yes, it's scary and decidedly not pleasant but facing it makes the world more interesting (at least in my opinion).

poingu wrote: "....To me the writing felt representative of the way the young protagonist has her stable, loving home ripped away for the facade it is, and she's suddenly confronted with buried monsters. The suddenness of the writing fit the suddenness of the change in the protagonist's reality..."

Yes, I can definitely see that. Maybe I was reading it too much on a surface level.

I think the problem I had was that I needed to understand how the mother could behave so abominably towards her only child. I was thinking it is possible that someone like that would not be behaving in a rational manner, so I was looking for other readers to have commented "yes, that's just how it happens". Fortunately for me, I have no personal knowledge of such parental emotional abuse, and I couldn't conceive how, despite everything that Sheri had gone through in her own life, she would do that to Caitlin. I wanted more explanation of how she came to that point.

What I could understand is the lack of forgiveness Sheri felt towards her father. But then, suddenly, she was ok with spending her life in close proximity to him. It was all too quick.....where was the struggle to make that decision?

One commenter wrote: "I could rate this either 2 stars or 4 stars and both would be honest ratings". I think this sums up how I felt, and in the end, I just needed more explanation/justification (or relevant education?).

Gosh, I find it so difficult to explain my reactions to books in coherent words!

poingu wrote: "Here in America, where hopelessness is a national sin, ,..."


Ha! I love that about you guys though. Us Brits definitely don't like to look on the bright side (generalizing hugely of course).

I will admit I was on the fence about reading the book - not necessarily because of the subject matter but was not in the mood for a book about a young child.

But this conversation has sparked my interest and I listened to a sample of the audio and liked the narrator's style - I will give it a try.

Did anyone do this as an audio read?

On a different tack, I would be interested to know what you made of the relationship between Caitlin and Shalini.

Beverly wrote: "I will admit I was on the fence about reading the book - not necessarily because of the subject matter but was not in the mood for a book about a young child.

But this conversation has sparked my ..."

I would highly recommend you get the print because of the beautiful aquarium photos. However, if that's not your thing... it doesn't take away from the story (maybe enriches it a bit).

Beverly wrote: "Did anyone do this as an audio read?"

Beverly, I heard from Jen, who is judging the first round and has this novel as one of her 2, that she is listening to it as an audiobook. She's possibly sequestering herself from this thread though until she makes up her mind about the two books.

Lagullande wrote: "On a different tack, I would be interested to know what you made of the relationship between Caitlin and Shalini."

To me the relationship between the girls was a delightful break, a little breathing room in contrast with the traumatic events. But like everything else in the novel, the relationship was compressed into short scenes, as were the reactions of the adults around them. So this story line also might be considered another thread in the tapestry of this story that moves it away from social realism and into something more vivid and condensed and abstract, more like a stage play.

I just finished the audiobook. Is it just me or is Julia Whelan having a moment? The book I listened to just before this one was also narrated by her so when I started Aquarium, I had to switch gears in my mind to different characters.

I enjoyed reading the comparisons to A Little Life earlier in this thread. Both are about child abuse (and make no mistake Caitlin was abused) and both require you to suspend disbelief in a number of instances. What I could not get over in A Little Life was that Jude treated his friends horribly and they still loved him. I wrote about this in my review, in my experience adults don't get a pass....they have to nurture friendships. How many times would a friend have to push you away until you got the message?

Anyway, in Aquarium we are told that the mother carries a lot of rage but frankly I think she is psychotic and *spoiler alert* to do a complete turnaround at the end and be a willing daughter to the man who fostered that break....to me it was unbelievable.

But Vann tells a good story and it did keep me on the edge of my seat so kudos for that. I really thought someone was going to get killed but I didn't have the emotional response that I did to A Little Life.

Janet wrote: "I just finished the audiobook. Is it just me or is Julia Whelan having a moment? The book I listened to just before this one was also narrated by her so when I started Aquarium, I had to switch gea..."

I'm just starting the print book again and these color fish pictures are so intentionally disarming, it's as if Vann is employing a Mohammed Ali boxing move to draw me in and then knock me out when I let my guard down. I don't think I'd like audiobook for this one just because it's a 'picture book' but also I'm not sure, Janet, if I could handle having later parts of the book so close to my head--better for me at arm's length!

I initially thought that I would not be reading this book based on the description. I thought it was an “Oprah Bookclub” type book. There is nothing wrong with that but was not in the mood for a downtrodden if there wasn’t bad luck the characters would have no luck at all book. But then I read the comments on the discussion thread and decided to keep the book a try.
Well, I feel in love starting at the first page – just loved the graceful lyrical prose and the storytelling.
I thought it was a great that the book started out with the interesting discussions with the fish in the aquarium.
I will say that the author is one that can take gritty brutal situations and write them with grace and dignity. He definitely provided humanity to situations that happens too often and goes unnoticed.
This book also illustrated once again for me that being a parent is the toughest job as everything you do reflects on how another human being will perceive life and what their expectations will be.

Additional comments:
• While this book had some predictable moments – it was the unexpected twists that elevated this story for me.
• While there were was the themes of parent-child relationships, redemption, forgiveness, letting go and hope – for me it is also a look at our society, our humanity, and our expectations and often our selflessness. What is the role of society to provide jobs with living wages? What sort of safety nets should be in place? So another reason for me liking this book is that it made me look beyond the story to the real world.
• I am most definitely a fiction reader and usually it is my fiction reads that will lead me to a nonfiction book. After reading Aquarium, I heard a plug for an upcoming book – Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City and have now put that on my tbr list.

poingu wrote: "AmberBug wrote: "And yet, all that worked on me. ..."

oh yes, me too, the pacing choices Vann made are what make this book searing and memorable and relentless to me vs. yet another novel about fa..."

I too have become very curious about A Little Life and how it is similar to Aquarium and why A Little Life is up for so many awards.

While I see Aquarium has received starred and/or good reviews from various reviewing publications I wonder how this will translate into Best of 2015 lists.

I know that A Little Life has many more pages to develop characters and provide background info, etc. and want to see what complexity is added with a book of that length.

While there were times I wanted to know more background information on the characters but then I thought what purpose would those details provide. Sometimes with grittier tales and abusive situations less is better than more.

I thought the author did a good job as you say turning the characters from what seemed normal to monsters and back again. Making us see that people can easily turn into monsters especially when trigger points are set off.

Beverly wrote: "I initially thought that I would not be reading this book based on the description. I thought it was an “Oprah Bookclub” type book. There is nothing wrong with that but was not in the mood for a do..."

I never thought about the social messages the book might suggest, thanks for mentioning that. I'll have to be on the lookout when re-reading this one.

Beverly wrote: "I initially thought that I would not be reading this book based on the description. I thought it was an “Oprah Bookclub” type book. There is nothing wrong with that but was not in the mood for a do..."

Beverly, thanks for your thoughts about this book. They really helped me understand better what I liked about it. I'm also thoughtful about why this book is relatively neglected vs. A Little Life. I preferred Aquarium's brevity and laser focus and felt it allowed me to endure the difficult passages and appreciate them, both for story and for language.

AmberBug wrote: "Beverly wrote: "I initially thought that I would not be reading this book based on the description. I thought it was an “Oprah Bookclub” type book. There is nothing wrong with that but was not in t..."

I am not sure if the social messages are obvious or it could be that I am sensitive to some of them because my daughter is a teacher at a Title 1 school where there is much to get through before she can even get to the "learning" part. As as public education has pulled back funding there are no extras for social services or assistant teachers/teachers aides. She is an elementary school teacher has had students who families literally live in the their cars spending the nights in Walmart parking lot, parents who work and just cannot afford rent and food so are constantly moving etc,. And then I have friends that work in social services.

poingu wrote: "Beverly wrote: "I initially thought that I would not be reading this book based on the description. I thought it was an “Oprah Bookclub” type book. There is nothing wrong with that but was not in t..."

If there was a way to figure out which book would appeal to readers more - I know the publisher would love to know this. :)

But I am always on why one book appeals to a broader base of readers than another book.

But having choices are wonderful.

I just finished Aquarium and I'm left wondering why this book was so much harder for me to experience than A Little Life. Could be because I listened to it while I read a printed version of ALL? Could be that I'm more sensitive to a mother's cruelty to her own child? After ALL I immediately wanted to make someone else read the book and with Aquarium I just feel like I need to go outside and feel the sun.

Vanessa wrote: "I just finished Aquarium and I'm left wondering why this book was so much harder for me to experience than A Little Life. Could be because I listened to it while I read a printed version of ALL? Co..."

Hi Vanessa. I wouldn't be able to listen to Aquarium via audiobook so that may have been part of making it a tough read. Your other theory makes sense to me also, that the source of pain in the story being Caitlin's mother, instead of the weird old man she meets in the aquarium, might be part of it. This novel totally derailed me from expectation and it upset me very much. That's what felt powerful to me about the story, though--that it shook me to the core. The story mirrors reality to me, in the way women are so often making families all on their own, left alone with their children. Mothers of two generations in this story are left completely on their own to raise their child. It felt reasonable to me that this mother would be trying her best in every way to shield her child, to keep her child safe and loved, and then, just to crack because it's too much.

It's an interesting book to me too because Caitlin is 12, such a weird age, where every parent starts to feel a little panic I think, even in the best of circumstances, where they realize one day that their children aren't children and that time is running out for helping them grow up and learn about the world and how it works. Caitlin as a character feels very changeable to me from scene to scene, where sometimes she feels younger than 12 and sometimes older, and I liked that too and it also felt 'true.'

It might remain just weirdly unknowable why these two books, Aquarium and A Little Life, hit readers here so differently (except for Amber who loves both of them). For me I prefer my ruthless books to be on the short side.

Vanessa wrote: "I just finished Aquarium and I'm left wondering why this book was so much harder for me to experience than A Little Life. Could be because I listened to it while I read a printed version of ALL? Co..."

Vanessa -

I certainly understand your pain when reading Aquarium. While reading I actually thought what would have happened if the boyfriend did not intervene when he did. Unfortunately the mother had so much built up within her that she was almost like a powder keg ready to burst. She was trying so hard to keep Caitlin from experiencing what she did that Caitlin not fully appreciating what she was protecting her from - just made her lose it.

I have not read A Little Life but really curious now but I think because of the size it will be an audio book for me.

I just finished this book, although I almost bailed when Caitlin's mother started in on her torture ("I want you to feel the horror of what I experienced."). Carol, "ugly" is the word that came to my mind, as it did for you. To me, this book has the ugly abuse of ALL (which I thought was a hot mess but also a freaking masterpiece) without making me care deeply & grieve deeply for its characters. And while the circumstances of the ALL characters were implausible, I never doubted their emotional reality. Vann, on the other hand, didn't make his characters feel real. I'm relieved that we got some redemption at the end, but even that felt arbitrary. Steve and the grandfather were too saintly in their selfless restraint, and the mother felt like a stick figure.

hmm, Bone People didn't work for me. This alt.tob exercise continues to be a very interesting method in mapping and comparing our own individual aesthetic and literary values.

To me, Aquarium feels like art about something real. The action is nearly as compressed as a Greek play. While there are unrealistic elements they act to heighten my awareness of real issues, both in terms of family violence in our culture, and the lack of social support for people in need.

Although I'd call the author "ruthless," the writing didn't feel 'ugly' to me. The harrowing passages are short and they resolve themselves and a balance is restored.The most wrenching passages in this book are over quickly. It wasn't too much for me. The ending, the uplift, felt like a gift from the author, a graciousness that allowed me to recover and be thoughtful about what i'd read.

Hmm, ugly. I'm not sure that is a word that came into my head while reading this at all. Granted, I was completely disgusted with certain characters while reading, but the magic comes when Vann completely switches things around and you come to realize who you thought was the villain, turns out to be something else entirely.

I know these people, they exist. Maybe that was why I was able to connect to them when other readers were left with paper people. The simplicity of everything definitely was purposeful and Vann certainly has a unique style that I guess some might consider ugly.

Carol - I'm interested to know where you quit. What appears to be a story about one kind of abuse turns into something else entirely. I'll admit it was very difficult to get through because Vann does an excellent job convincing you that something is happening when it's not. Also, if you think this one is too much, stay away from A Little Life. I absolutely loved it but that one guts you with it's "ugly".

Interesting. You definitely caught on to the setup where I did not. I ended up wanting to throw the mother into a pit by the end. I hate self-pity, but it felt so real to me. So many people I know use their past to gain closeness to others.

I definitely think it helped that I was "tricked", most people who deliver the image of victim cast this veil that shows how manipulative they can be. Because I believed in that glamour the mother cast over her life, when the veil is lifted it brought me right back to all those times I was manipulated by others (in my own life). I guess I'm gullible that way, I'd like to believe people speak the truth until proven otherwise.

I like that you brought up the Caitlin/Shalini relationship because looking back (I read this awhile back) I don't think this stuck with me. Your mention of the character gave me a moment of puzzlement, I ended up having to dig a little into my memory to pull out those scenes. Maybe someone else has some answers to those questions because now I am curious if Vann really did mean for something to be there that I didn't pick up.

I never got "tricked" by the grandfather set up either. I suspected who he was the first time Sheri said she doesn't talk about her past. I am surprised how different my feelings for the characters were compared to many of the comments here. I didn't find the mother to be a monster. She lived through something horrific and was broken. The fact that she could shelter Caitlyn for so long and live selflessly for the first 12 years of her life seemed commendable. But once the "monster" who abandoned her at 14 and set her life on a course of constant suffering came back she just snapped.

Kendra wrote: "I never got "tricked" by the grandfather set up either. I suspected who he was the first time Sheri said she doesn't talk about her past. I am surprised how different my feelings for the characters..."

Didn't you find what she was doing to Caitlyn worse than just "leaving", like her father did? I was angry at the mother for forcing Caitlyn to have the same feelings she does. No matter what, a parent should always respect and nurture the individual thoughts and ideas a child exhibits. Forcing your child to "feel" how you felt by making them relive the same past... just disgusting.

Make no mistake, the father/grandfather is also to blame. I just don't see the point of forcing someone to have the same view as you. Parents who leave and abandon their children, happen all the time. Those who come back to make ammends in the future, it's up to the individual on forgiveness, it's not cut and dry. On the other hand, it's pretty rare to find a parent abusing their child for the sake of solidarity. I found that so much more deplorable than abandonment.

Also, I love hearing that others have a totally different reaction and/or connect to the characters differently. I think it shows the depth of the story and how in this situation nothing is black or white.

The different responses to the book are so interesting. I never seriously saw the grandfather as a potential predator -- he seemed so genuinely kind and empathetic that I twigged to him as a good guy early on. I could see Sheri as someone who could snap and beat or verbally abuse her daughter in a momentary rage. But the sustained cruelty of what she did to Caitlin was such a break from their earlier warm relationship that I just didn't buy it. It broke my empathy with what the author was leading us through, the way a moment of bad acting in a film can interrupt the suspension of disbelief and make you suddenly aware of the artifice. I read the second half almost at a remove. Steve and the grandfather both became too one-note -- I wanted more complexity and less saintliness in their feelings. I never bought that Shalini's wealthy, six-months-in-America family would be so cavalier about allowing their 12yo daughter to sleep over with Caitlin. I couldn't buy the happily-ever-after ending. Lovely writing, but Sheri's abuse broke the contract for me.

AmberBug wrote: "Forcing your child to "feel" how you felt by making them relive the same past... just disgusting. ..."

AmberBug, yes. I found that an odd/creepy form of abuse. I'm not proud of this feeling, but it made me suspicious of the author, especially paired with Steve and the grandfather being such longsuffering saints. Like, does Vann have mommy issues?

But lovely writing!!!

Jan, he probably does! I certainly do. I wonder if that's why I connect with this so much.

AmberBug wrote: "Jan, he probably does! I certainly do. I wonder if that's why I connect with this so much."

Haha, don't we all!

Jan wrote: "The different responses to the book are so interesting. I never seriously saw the grandfather as a potential predator -- he seemed so genuinely kind and empathetic that I twigged to him as a good g..."

I had so many of the same feelings when reading this book. You summed it all up much more eloquently than I could. The Steve character was almost too good to be true, but I actually liked that. He was the sunshine in the dark parts of the book that made me think everything could turn out relatively OK.