Rose Penski
Roz Perry
From Publishers Weekly
Perry’s astute eye fails to galvanize this sentimental first novel about a lesbian couple facing breast cancer. The women offer a potentially intriguing contrast as whimsical Rose assumes the role of healer when disease leaves vulnerable her resilient partner, Adelle. Perry’s attempts to clarify the power of female nurturing and to resolve the meaning of love through Rose and Adelle’s subtle melding of personas are defeated by the lackluster narration of the first two-thirds of the book and her overweening affection for Rose. Relying on disjointed flashbacks and generalizations, Perry tends to tell rather than dramatically communicate the idiosyncrasies of her protagonists, cataloguing objects–Adelle’s wardrobe, Rose’s menus–instead of exposing their significance to the characters. In the far more compelling final portion of the work, Adelle begins her treatments, the women’s balanced domestic world is disturbed by the arrival of Adelle’s vulgar, womanizing father–and Perry’s writing assumes, too late, vitality.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Half medical case history, half love story, this novel traces a few months in the lives of Adelle, a very successful, efficient businesswoman, and Rose, her lover of many years whose major contribution to the household is gourmet cooking. Adelle had always been competent in the work world but naive in affairs of heart and bedroom until the experienced Rose taught her the joys of lesbian love. Now they must both cope with the growing lump in Adelle’s breast and the emotional and physical limitations it places on them. Adelle reads everything she can find on cancer while Rose cooks the most wonderful meals imaginable to distract and comfort her lover. The reader will find hints on managing breast cancer, enlightenment on female to female sex, and fine suggestions for good eating. For feminist or larger fiction collections.
– Marion Hanscom, SUNY at Binghamton Lib.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Details
| ISBN | 941483371 |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publication Date | Nov-89 |
| Publisher | Naiad Press |
| Format | Trade Paperback |
| No. of Pages | 170 |
| Language | English |
| Rating | NotRated |
| BookID | 10859 |
