It's not often that a main character in a novel of general
literary fiction dies in the first chapter, but that's exactly how Sally Koslow constructs
The
Widow Waltz. The story opens via the point of view of Ben Silver, a
charming, middle-aged, seemingly successful Manhattan lawyer who goes for a run
in Central Park only to suffer a massive heart attack. His sudden death comes
as a complete shock to those who love him - most especially, his devoted wife,
Georgia Waltz. What's even more troubling and upsetting is the news that he has
left his well-to-do family practically insolvent. Financial ruin and debt now
fall to his widow and their two adult daughters who had been living, thanks to
Ben, an upscale, privileged existence. Ben's death might make him physically
absent from the lives of his loved ones, but his presence becomes more palpable
as the trio slowly begins to uncover reasons why the family's fortune might've
evaporated. Was Ben the man they thought he was? Was he harboring
secrets? As Georgia and the girls reinvent their lives by selling off
assets and scrambling to find work to support themselves, unforeseen
circumstances, people and impulses--some romantic--alter their plans in
unpredictable ways.
Koslow (The
Late, Lamented Molly Marx) is a skillful, meticulous writer attuned to
the absurdities of life, death and the multi-generational bonds of family.
Pitch-perfect details and alternating narrative voices allow her to fully
explore the emotional intricacies of these richly woven characters in crisis.
Publication Date: June 13, 2013
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Note: This review is a reprint and is being posted (in a slightly different form) with the permission
of Shelf Awareness.
To read this review on Shelf Awareness:
Reader's Edition (6/25/13),
click HERE