Clock Dance

Anne Tyler's Clock Dance traces the formative events in the life of generous Willa Drake. From watching her tempestuous mother intimidate her pushover father to picking a bully-husband of her own, Willa's life has always been defined by the underlying power dynamics of intimate relationships. After her husband dies in a road rage accident, Willa marries another bossy man, Peter. When she receives a call begging her to take care of her son's ex-girlfriend and her daughter, Willa can't help but agree. Peter may not approve, but she is drawn in by the warm, outspoken young woman and her pragmatic daughter. Soon, Willa begins to realize that while Peter and the other men around her may be loud, they don't have a monopoly on her life.
 
Tyler is no stranger to crafting slow-burn narratives that illuminate concealed family dynamics. Clock Dance is a perfect addition to her oeuvre, offering all the intimate insights and cleverness of her past work while still displaying her ability to experiment with form. The novel opens with a series of snapshot moments throughout Willa's life that showcase Tyler's instinctual ability to pinpoint her characters' soft spots. With its strong, clean prose and evenly paced storytelling, Clock Dance nimbly captures the rhythm of an overlooked woman's life. But buried within this personal story is a larger question about who the world chooses to discount and what will happen when those who quietly hold the world together finally decide to walk away. --Alice Martin, freelance writer and editor
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