Play Book Tag discussion

The Marriage of Opposites tells the story of Rachel Pressarro, mother of renowned Impressionist Camille Pressarro, and spans most of her lifetime. Set on St Thomas, Rachel is the daughter of a sea merchant and has a tumultuous relationship with her mother. She longs to leave St Thomas for Paris, however a marriage of convenience is arranged with a local widower. Rachel instantly becomes a mother to three children, and then proceeds to have many children of her own. Her husband ultimately dies, and she falls for her husband's nephew, sent from France to manage the business affairs of his uncle. They are unable to wed and live a life of sin as outcasts. They have many children if their own, Camille being one. The second half of the story tells of his life from birth until he becomes a father himself.

I listened to The Marriage of Opposites in audio and it was very pleasant to hear. The narrators, of which there were three, one for each viewpoint, were skilled. I did however have a few problems with the telling of this story. While the imagery was at times stunning, there was an element of mysticism that didn't gel with me, but I let it wash over me and saw it as part of the beliefs of the characters. I also couldn't manage to believe that Rachel went from a strong willed woman deeply in love, to a tyrant of a mother to the son she claimed to love the most. The shift didn't make sense to me.

Overall a pleasant audio experience, but I don't know if I'll be rushing to Hoffman again any time soon.