Chris Bohjalian Writes Character
A successful author with references to Fitzgerald and Harper Lee
A review of Bohjalian's most recent novel, The Double Bind, and the ever popular Midwives, helps readers find a new favorite author.
Chris Bohjalian told readers at www.failbetter.com how he works:
If I'm focused on anything, it is character and how different people walk through this world and make sense of it.
This statement also sums up why you should read his books.
The author of ten novels - several best sellers -- Bohjalian creates some of the most memorable characters you will ever come across. Bohjalian attributes this quality of his writing to his admiration of F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby) and Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird).
Suspense, contemporary social issues, compassion, and true elements of surprise keep the pages turning in Bohjalian's books. His are books you truly can't put down, a quality echoed in many reviewer's commentaries.
Two Best Sellers
The Double Bind, his most recent novel, is absolutely his best yet. It centers around Laurel, a young social worker with physical and emotional scars that draw her into a dangerous obsession with a homeless man's celebrity photographs. Bohjalian's complex story reveals the injustice of society's stereotypical views of homeless people, the fragility of memory and mental health, and holds readers spellbound until the very end. Which will, no doubt, surprise you.
Midwives (1997) is another widely recognized novel by Bohjalian. This eloquent story exposes contemporary views of child birth, specifically home births and midwives. Here, the narrator is a fourteen-year-old girl whose midwife mother is on trial for involuntary manslaughter and practicing medicine without a license. The girl's viewpoint provides highly personal insight into this and other family issues.
Serious Topics, Suspense and Some Laughs
Bohjalian tackles tough issues without being preachy, but is always compassionate. That's probably another reason why his stories hold up - he develops totally believable, if flawed, human beings. We come to care deeply about them, while we learn something about their complex circumstances.
Suspense is another common element in Bohjalian's stories. Even if you are not a mystery reader, you will appreciate his skillful use of suspense. In Midwives, for example, instead of telling the reader the verdict, he narrates everyone's reaction to it, and how it affects their lives. So, it takes several pages to know the decision with certainty. It puts the reader in the courtroom, where everyone anxiously awaits the results.
Lest you think Bohjalian is too serious for you, don't fret. He's got a strong sense of humor, which he shares in his "Idyll Banter" column. A collection of these ironic musings on daily life have been published as Idyll Banter: Weekly Excursions to a Very Small Town (2003). You can also read recent columns at his highly engaging website, www.chrisbohjalian.com. Visit him there, get a taste of his writing, and pick a book to read. You won't ever regret it!
