Ms. Hen reviews Motherless Child

 Motherless Child

Marianne Langer Zeitlin

Zephyr Press

2012

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because she received it as a door prize at the National Writers Union book party last January. The person who own the press is on the Steering Committee for that organization with Ms. Hen, and he decided to give away some of his books to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the press. It took Ms. Hen a while to read this; it had been on her to read shelf for almost a year, but she's happy she finally read it.

This novel is about a young woman named Elizabeth with a haunted past. Her father passed away recently, and she was told her mother committed suicide after she left her father to marry a man named Alfred Rossiter, a classical music manager. Elizabeth's father had been a musician, but he never achieved the success his family thought he deserved.

Elizabeth lives in New York, and she discovers that Alfred Rossiter was planning opening a new agency, and was hiring. She decides to apply for the job, by using a false name and forging her college transcripts, simply to get a glimpse of the man her mother abandoned her and her family for. This novel takes place in the 1970s, and this could be probable back then, but using a false name would not work in today's world, because a person would undoubtedly get found out, either from social media or some other source. Surprisingly, Elizabeth gets hired for the job, even though she knows she is not qualified. She meets a man writing a biography of Rossiter, George Wentworth, and they both get entangled with each other and the stories George is writing about the past.

Ms. Hen had a difficult time trying to get into this book, since it differed from the last book she read. This book has elongated sentences, and flowery language, and Ms. Hen's last book, THE PASSION by Jeanette Winterson, has short sentences, and sings like a piccolo. This novel reads like a symphony, with all the characters and their stories and troubles blending in together to make beautiful music. 

This novel is full of music, and was written by someone intimate with that world. Ms. Hen does not know that much about classical music and musicians, but it appears that they struggle the same way she knows rock musician do, with not enough money to eat on the road, and being at the mercy of managers and booking agents and everyone else.

Ms. Hen figured out the secret to this novel before she knew the truth, but she knew it was coming. She is not a fan of mysteries, but a clue appears that makes this novel part mystery; it's also about romance, work, and family complications. This novel is similar to a window to someone's life, a complete picture of personal tragedy, and a lonely young woman discovering herself.

Ms. Hen thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It's not an easy read; it's dense, but well worth the time. She believes in the power of music to heal and make people happy, like books and all art are able to do at times.