There are some novels which are best read in silence and others which really shine when read aloud. Recently I've been listening to more audiobooks while traveling on trains or walking in the park. However, when I'm at home I'll read these books in their physical form. That's what I did with Ingrid Persaud's “Love After Love” which is about the life of Bette, a single mother in modern-day Trinidad; Solo, her wayward son and Mr Chetan, a closeted gay man who becomes like a husband/father to them. The narrative switches between all three of their points of view to illuminate their different perspectives on the dramatic events which rumble this improvised family. The audiobook is beautifully read by the author as she relates her tale with certain intonations and clear emotions highlighting the humour and sorrow of these characters' stories. I soon found that even when reading the physical book at home I'd read passages aloud as the colloquial narrative and dialogue are so filled with life they lift off the page. My emotional response was similarly expressive as I found myself alternately laughing out loud or crying during different passages. I certainly don't often have such physical reactions to reading most books, but this novel is imbued with such heartfelt feeling it's a story you experience rather than observe.
Although the three main characters share a close emotional bond and support one another, they each maintain secrets and this causes friction in their relationships. For years Bette lived in an abusive marriage with Solo's father Sunil which she felt she had to endure because of low self-esteem and a lack of support from the community. Chetan is compelled to hide his sexuality since he was expelled from his immediate family at an early age when his same-sex desire was discovered and because of fears of continuing homophobic violence in the community. In this way, Persaud shows how the oppressive attitudes of the larger society deeply impact the personal lives of these individuals and create conflicts even in their most intimate relationships.
For some straight women and gay men who form very close bonds there's a natural desire to find romance together as well. I appreciate how the author portrays Bette and Chetan's awkward attempt to have sex, but how Chetan's nature prevents this being successfully achieved. Their relationship is so strong and their lives so intertwined as they share a household, cook together and jointly raise Solo; it's only natural they're compelled to become a couple in every sense. But, while there are feelings of dismay that they can't find true fulfilment as a couple, they are no less a family in their devotion to one another. Yet, when Bette's long-held secret also emerges over the course of a drunken evening, Solo feels so much resentment towards her he eventually moves to live with an uncle in America where he works illegally and tries to obtain a social security number on the black market. I truly felt the pain of this family's separation from one another as I could understand each person's point of view and developed a deep affinity for all three of them.
This novel brilliantly shows the many variations and stages of love in life. It's not at all sentimental in how it does this because the characters deal with their pain by sublimating their emotions in a very realistic and understandable way. Through their personal accounts I could feel the true motivations behind their actions. Their distinct voices are also infused with so much wit and affection there's a lightness to this tale which is very refreshing. It's joyous and irresistible how Persaud steeps the reader in both the stories of her characters and all the vibrant life of Trinidad.
