32. So Long at the Fair

Thank you to Doubleday for the opportunity to read and review this galley of So Long at the Fair.

Author Christina Schwarz, who also wrote Drowning Ruth, tells the story of a marriage and an affair. Jon and Ginny struggle with the minutiae of their relationship, while each of them also struggles with the past which has shaped their future. Two things make their lives even more difficult – Ginny is trying to get pregnant and Jon is having an affair with a co-worker. While this might be enough drama for some, the author tells us another story. It is the story of Jon and Ginny’s parents – told in alternating chapters of the book. Does the past dictate the future? Is the marriage on the brink of disaster?

To be honest, I found this book a little confusing. Even so, I enjoyed it. And I liked it enough to read it again with a who’s who chart! Why? Because the emotion and struggles are so well developed by Schwarz that the novel is worth a second read for full understanding. The characters are likeable and the suspense builds to a satisfying conclusion.

Here is a short excerpt from the book from USA Today. Or here at the Random House author/book page.

TITLE: So Long at the Fair
AUTHOR: Christina Schwarz
COPYRIGHT: 2008
PAGES: 244
TYPE: fiction
RECOMMEND: Um, very good, but make a family tree.