Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Abacus (2010), Edition: First Paperback Edition First Printing, 384 pages
Description
Newlyweds Margaret and Patrick join a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, and during their harrowing ascent, a horrific accident occurs. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Margaret struggles to understand what happened on the African mountain and how these events have transformed her and her marriage, perhaps forever.
Media reviews
Shreve displays a keen radar for the insidious hierarchies of power and the cross-cultural ubiquity of the alpha male.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Sararush
If you (like me) are a fan of Anita Shreve, then you are probably salivating over her new release, A Change in Altitude. And after Testimony, who wouldn’t be a fan? Shreve seems to be getting better and better. This novel centers on a late twenties newlywed, Margaret, who jumped at the chance to
The muscle that Shreve typically flexes is her ability to instantly grab and hold the reader, but for me that didn’t happen here. Instead I found myself sort of plugging away at the first few chapters. However, Shreve is an excellent story teller, and so I soon found myself engrossed in Margaret’s emotional drama which was beautifully set by the harsh African landscapes and Keynes details. The fish out of water feel of an American in Africa is explored, and is thematically similar to The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver or Louise Dean’s The Idea of Love. The culture shock is just an element to Margaret’s characterization, and not the focus of her story, and thus Shreve forges something new. I was shocked to enjoy the action sequences as much as I did, and found Margaret’s insecurities scarily relatable and fascinating. Overall, I was surprised with the restraint and subtlety which Shreve used in composing this novel. Though A Change in Altitude wasn’t my favorite book by Shreve (that is a tie between Testimony and Fortune Rocks), it is still one of her best.
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follow her husband to Kenya where he is doing medical research. One day Patrick announces that they are going to climb Mt. Kenya with their land lords and another couple. The climb is an arduous several day affair, so Margaret does have misgivings, but in the end is easily persuaded. Once on the expedition, small indiscretions on Margaret’s part have dire consequences and put a seemingly insurmountable strain on her marriage. As the cracks in her marriage widen, Margaret considers whether she can save her marriage, and as she explores her own passions, a part of her wonders if she wants to. The muscle that Shreve typically flexes is her ability to instantly grab and hold the reader, but for me that didn’t happen here. Instead I found myself sort of plugging away at the first few chapters. However, Shreve is an excellent story teller, and so I soon found myself engrossed in Margaret’s emotional drama which was beautifully set by the harsh African landscapes and Keynes details. The fish out of water feel of an American in Africa is explored, and is thematically similar to The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver or Louise Dean’s The Idea of Love. The culture shock is just an element to Margaret’s characterization, and not the focus of her story, and thus Shreve forges something new. I was shocked to enjoy the action sequences as much as I did, and found Margaret’s insecurities scarily relatable and fascinating. Overall, I was surprised with the restraint and subtlety which Shreve used in composing this novel. Though A Change in Altitude wasn’t my favorite book by Shreve (that is a tie between Testimony and Fortune Rocks), it is still one of her best.
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LibraryThing member ForeignCircus
In this latest effort, Shreve sticks to her general formula- how one moment, one decision can forever change a life. Margaret and Patrick are a young newlyweds living in Africa when a tragic moment on a mountain climb with their landlords causes a rift from which their marriage may never recover.
The book was well-written, and the flavor of expat life in Africa came through beautifully, but I just found it impossible to connect to the characters. Margaret seemed to be drifting through life, never really making choices about the things that most impact her. Patrick was not sympathetically drawn- I for one could not figure out why Margaret married him and followed him to Kenya, let alone why she was interested in saving her marriage to him. Even at the end, I just didn't care one way or the other about how the story turned out which is never a good sign.
Perhaps this book wouldn't have been so disappointing if I hadn't recently finished the absolutely incredible Testimony where the characters so truly touched me that the story continues to resonate. In contrast, A Change in Altitude left me cold; not one of Shreve's best efforts.
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The book covers the year following the actions on the mountain, and traces the efforts Margaret makes to rediscover her life and her love. The book was well-written, and the flavor of expat life in Africa came through beautifully, but I just found it impossible to connect to the characters. Margaret seemed to be drifting through life, never really making choices about the things that most impact her. Patrick was not sympathetically drawn- I for one could not figure out why Margaret married him and followed him to Kenya, let alone why she was interested in saving her marriage to him. Even at the end, I just didn't care one way or the other about how the story turned out which is never a good sign.
Perhaps this book wouldn't have been so disappointing if I hadn't recently finished the absolutely incredible Testimony where the characters so truly touched me that the story continues to resonate. In contrast, A Change in Altitude left me cold; not one of Shreve's best efforts.
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LibraryThing member bearette24
I really liked this book. I couldn't get into her last one -- Testimony -- but this one pulled me in right away. It's the story of Margaret, an American fish out of water in Kenya. It begins with her attempting to climb Mount Kenya with some friends. It's a journey with tragic consequences (though
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not for Margaret herself). She spends another year in Africa and ends up climbing the mountain again. I loved reading her tale of self-discovery, excitement, and falling in love with a strange, dark, complex yet exhilarating country. It is the first book that has made me want -- a little bit -- to go to Africa. Show Less
LibraryThing member lpcoolgirl
I have not read Anita Shreve, or really heard of her before. The book is good, but the details are a little hard to understand for the average person. They were complex, and it took a few seconds for the meaning of a sentence to sink in. I liked the book, and if i get the chance, i will read more
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of Anita. Its problems are really real, and anybody could understand. one thing that i would like to know is when the book was based, because a character had parents that owned a home in the 1940's and thats about it, but they have pretty modern things like cars and telephones. Show Less
LibraryThing member Beecharmer
Margaret and Patrick are in Africa so Patrick can do medical research. They are invited to climb a mountain with their landlords Diana and Arthur and some of their friends. It is a harrowing journey for Margaret and Arthur who has a crush on her is very attentive. Rats frighten Margaret during a
This was a good story and very interesting, but I did not care for the ending. It felt like the story wasn't finished.
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night camping and Arthur takes her hand. In the morning everyone sees them holding hands and Diana is outraged. Due to Diana's hurt and anger, she is careless and dies in a fall. This is a terrible turning point for Margaret and her husband. They struggle for a year to patch the rift and finally attempt to climb the mountain again with a happier ending.This was a good story and very interesting, but I did not care for the ending. It felt like the story wasn't finished.
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LibraryThing member pamelalia
I am an Anita Shreve fan. I have read most of her books and was thrilled to get A Change in Altitude as my first Library Thing Early Reviewer selection. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in this book. It took me a while to get into - pretty much the entire Part I of three parts was slow going. Once
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I got into Part II, things started to pick up and hold promise. And then I fould myself nearing the end of Part III wondering how she was going to wrap it all up, thinking a very unexpected ending was in store. It was certainly unexpected. It felt incomplete and empty. I've been thinking about it alot since finishing the book last night, knowing I would be writing this review, and I guess "incomplete and empty" is probably how the book's character felt. So, maybe the author accomplished what she wanted to convey, but I was still disappointed. Show Less
LibraryThing member booklove2
People fiction. The events that occur within the book are exclusively set for the characters relationships to get better or worse. Of course, many books are about people, but some books are more interested in the relationships of people. For some readers, this is their favorite type of book. For
The characters confused me. They believe in their stereotypes but then get angry when what they thought would happen comes true. Paying a boy eight shillings to watch her car in Africa would seem Margaret expects something to happen to it. After the car is stolen, Margaret is told "you're supposed to give the parking boy five shillings to watch the car, with the promise of five more shillings when you return. Thus ensuring the vehicle will be there when you want it." She fully expects the car to be stolen (as with this comment, it seems most expatriates do), but is surprised when it is. Another example - Margaret's husband doesn't want her to walk last in line while hiking Mount Kenya. He says it isn't safe. She looks around to see if anyone is carrying a weapon. She assumes they will be attacked, when maybe he simply means that Margaret, being the inexperienced hiker, might be left behind. A third example - while Margaret is being bitten by fire ants, she "felt as though she were being assaulted by Africa itself." It makes me wonder why Margaret is even in Africa if she thinks a nest of fire ants represents the whole continent. And why anyone would climb a mountain with people they loathe is beyond me. Margaret is one of those characters that stumble through blunders simply so the reader will like her more. That doesn't always work for me. Margaret is left confused and empty from the beginning of the book, the middle after a horrifying accident, and the end. But I believe this is Shreve's point. What confuses me most is after Margaret states "she could not imagine ever wanting to leave [Africa]." I feel that Margaret hadn't changed during the course of the book in order to make that statement - it comes out of left field. I thought she was having a not-so-great time, always being wary of everyone and everything around her. Not to say she should be naive and trusting, but if you think the entire continent is out to get you, why stay? Maybe I got more hung up on this detail than other readers will. Every book is different for every reader.
There were some African words I did not know the meaning of, which leaves me feeling disconnected from the story. The writing is straight forward but sometimes I'd wish to see extended descriptions of Africa (maybe explaining the meaning of those African words). It would be nice to get off the beaten path of the direct story and explore a little.
I like the diversity of Shreve's books. Though she usually remains within that "people fiction" realm, her books involve different things and events that effect relationships: accidents, affairs, war, pregnancies, murder, the economy. It's all there in Shreve's books and everything effects these relationships. I've read quite a few of Shreve's books and plan on reading quite a few more, whenever I'm in the mood for some "people fiction".
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me, it isn't. But of all the writers of "people fiction", I think Anita Shreve does it better than most. I don't usually gravitate to this genre, but I consider Shreve a favorite of mine within this genre.The characters confused me. They believe in their stereotypes but then get angry when what they thought would happen comes true. Paying a boy eight shillings to watch her car in Africa would seem Margaret expects something to happen to it. After the car is stolen, Margaret is told "you're supposed to give the parking boy five shillings to watch the car, with the promise of five more shillings when you return. Thus ensuring the vehicle will be there when you want it." She fully expects the car to be stolen (as with this comment, it seems most expatriates do), but is surprised when it is. Another example - Margaret's husband doesn't want her to walk last in line while hiking Mount Kenya. He says it isn't safe. She looks around to see if anyone is carrying a weapon. She assumes they will be attacked, when maybe he simply means that Margaret, being the inexperienced hiker, might be left behind. A third example - while Margaret is being bitten by fire ants, she "felt as though she were being assaulted by Africa itself." It makes me wonder why Margaret is even in Africa if she thinks a nest of fire ants represents the whole continent. And why anyone would climb a mountain with people they loathe is beyond me. Margaret is one of those characters that stumble through blunders simply so the reader will like her more. That doesn't always work for me. Margaret is left confused and empty from the beginning of the book, the middle after a horrifying accident, and the end. But I believe this is Shreve's point. What confuses me most is after Margaret states "she could not imagine ever wanting to leave [Africa]." I feel that Margaret hadn't changed during the course of the book in order to make that statement - it comes out of left field. I thought she was having a not-so-great time, always being wary of everyone and everything around her. Not to say she should be naive and trusting, but if you think the entire continent is out to get you, why stay? Maybe I got more hung up on this detail than other readers will. Every book is different for every reader.
There were some African words I did not know the meaning of, which leaves me feeling disconnected from the story. The writing is straight forward but sometimes I'd wish to see extended descriptions of Africa (maybe explaining the meaning of those African words). It would be nice to get off the beaten path of the direct story and explore a little.
I like the diversity of Shreve's books. Though she usually remains within that "people fiction" realm, her books involve different things and events that effect relationships: accidents, affairs, war, pregnancies, murder, the economy. It's all there in Shreve's books and everything effects these relationships. I've read quite a few of Shreve's books and plan on reading quite a few more, whenever I'm in the mood for some "people fiction".
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LibraryThing member astults
My body was sitting on the beach at Topsail Island, North Carolina but my mind was transported to the dusty streets of Nairobi before the seasonal rains while reading A Change of Altitude. It was not surprising to learn Anita Shreve once lived in Kenya. Only someone who lived there could capture
A Change of Altitude is about Margaret, a newlywed who lives with her husband, Patrick, in Kenya. He's a doctor doing research on tropical diseases. She's at a bit of a loss on how to spend her time since the move. Margaret was a reporter in Boston and now feels purposeless. Patrick and Margaret are invited to climb Mount Kenya with two other couples. An accident during the climb changes the course of their marriage.
This book can easily be a book club favorite if readers are brave enough to pick it up. The events make Margaret ask some hard questions about herself and her marriage. Although the average reader won't have lived in another country where the customs are different, many of the feelings and doubts expressed by Margaret have been felt by someone in a relationship. There are the normal marriage questions such as whether or not to have children, if children are in the future then when would be a good time to start trying and the harder questions such as which characteristics in my mate can be overlooked and which ones should I confront him/her about? It can make the reader ask those questions of themselves and some readers will find they aren't ready for those answers.
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the moral questions that come up when living in a country different from your own.A Change of Altitude is about Margaret, a newlywed who lives with her husband, Patrick, in Kenya. He's a doctor doing research on tropical diseases. She's at a bit of a loss on how to spend her time since the move. Margaret was a reporter in Boston and now feels purposeless. Patrick and Margaret are invited to climb Mount Kenya with two other couples. An accident during the climb changes the course of their marriage.
This book can easily be a book club favorite if readers are brave enough to pick it up. The events make Margaret ask some hard questions about herself and her marriage. Although the average reader won't have lived in another country where the customs are different, many of the feelings and doubts expressed by Margaret have been felt by someone in a relationship. There are the normal marriage questions such as whether or not to have children, if children are in the future then when would be a good time to start trying and the harder questions such as which characteristics in my mate can be overlooked and which ones should I confront him/her about? It can make the reader ask those questions of themselves and some readers will find they aren't ready for those answers.
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LibraryThing member aussiegrl
This is definitely one of my favorite books of Shreve's. It was an interesting look at marriage and the trials that come with it. Dealing with a tragedy on a new marriage is difficult and Shreve did a great job at portraying that in this book. I loved the characters and so wished I could have read
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more about them. Maybe she will write another book with them as I would love to read more of their story. For now I have to use my imagination to see what would happen to them next. I will definitely be recommending this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member daisygrl09
This is the story of Patrick and Margaret, newlyweds who have moved to Africa where Patrick can do his medical research. It talks of their trials and tribulations while learning the ways of life in a foreign nation. The story also deals with different events that test the strength of their
It was obvious that the two were in love, but Ms. Shreve leaves me wondering how passionate their love really was. There is just not enough there for me to feel that they just can't live without each other. That seems to be her style in most of the books I've read by her. I do, however like this book very much and would recommend it to others.
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marriage. The end definitely leaves the outcome of whether or not they remain married open to interpretation.It was obvious that the two were in love, but Ms. Shreve leaves me wondering how passionate their love really was. There is just not enough there for me to feel that they just can't live without each other. That seems to be her style in most of the books I've read by her. I do, however like this book very much and would recommend it to others.
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LibraryThing member Jeanomario
This is the first Shreve novel I have read, though I am aware of her previous successes. At first, I found the pace rather numbing and the characters were cold cardboard. I had trouble picking it up after time away. But, after the pinnacle event, the novel's momentum picked up and the characters
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took on color. Bits of intrigue, adventure, human frailty, and subtle interactions kept this story moving, literally, toward a peak. Show Less
LibraryThing member DaffodilTurner
A mish-mash of stereotypes and parade of characters that flow past the Margaret character. Arrogant ex-pats, bloodied but unbowed poor people, mountain guides that can communicate with the mountain spirits, a smoking hot Italian work colleague for the husband, hot-eyed romance material in her job
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(with extra moral scruples), snarling, dog-raising ex-pat woman. Give me a break already. Show Less
LibraryThing member kiwifortyniner
I have read books of Anita Shreve's that I liked. I really liked Testimony for example and I had high hopes for this one but for me it did not live up to the praise given to it on the back on the book. The story started off well and I was interested but in the latter part of the book I felt it
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became disjointed and superficial The ending to me was a real let down as I feel it did not resolve things and seemed very sudden. Not one I would really recommend. Show Less
LibraryThing member bobbieharv
Shreve's fiction can be very very good or occasionally pretty bad; this, oddly, was just about in the middle. The plot moved along very well, from a climb on Mt Kenya through marital problems and a compelling relationship, so I was able to move along through writing that just didn't seem up to her
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usual standards. A good read, though, till the end, which was predictable, unbelievable, and contrived. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cyrusthegreat
I had a hard time getting into this book, but I was able to finish it.
LibraryThing member bookfest
Margaret and Patrick marry not long after meeting in part because Patrick has planned to move to Kenya to study infectious diseases. This puts them both in many peculiar positions, but that is particularly true of Margaret. She has not come to Kenya with a purpose and, when she pursues her previous
I did not consider this Shreve's best, although it is worth the read. An interesting aspect of it is the interplay of Kenya's diverse populations.
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career as a photographer, her husband treats her endeavors in a rather paternalistic manner. It is difficult for a white female American to function independently in Kenya and Margaret often finds herself reliant on the male characters she encounters. This dependence makes it hard for me to sympathize with her as a character. On the other hand, the strongest woman character is portrayed as very unpleasant, and her pushiness is her undoing. I do wonder if that's the point Shreve is trying to make: it is extremely challenging for a woman to be her own person and this can be seen more clearly in a social context where women often require protection. I did not consider this Shreve's best, although it is worth the read. An interesting aspect of it is the interplay of Kenya's diverse populations.
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LibraryThing member janiereader
I love Anita Shreve, but I am having a really hard time getting into this book. So far, I've started over twice. Maybe third time IS the charm.
LibraryThing member zionutah9
Didn't like the writing, characters, unbelievable, able to figure out what will happen...not very good
LibraryThing member bhowell
The reviews of A Change in Altitude are mixed but I thoroughly enjoyed it (as I have enjoyed all of Ms Shreve's books to date). This is a very good story. The description of events and the character development that precede the sudden tragic accident on the ascent of Mt Kenya are skillfully set
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out. The book comforted and entertained me on a long flight. I am a dedicated fan of Ms Shreve. Show Less
LibraryThing member booklovers2
Although I absolutely loved the Pilot's Wife; this one was not as good but it was an easy read. The depiction of Kenya was wonderful and visual. The overall story, not so.Feels like Anita dropped too much from the original story at editing, something was definitely missing here. Ended up in the
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air. Not satisfied at the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member jo-jo
Before I even read this book, I had already noticed several mixed reviews. I have found that for the most part, I usually enjoy Shreve's work so I decided to give this one a shot. Although I will confess that this book wasn't one of my favorites by Shreve, I did find some enjoyment throughout the
Margaret and Patrick are newlyweds that have decided to start their lives off together by spending some time in Africa. As a doctor Patrick finds himself very busy and working quite long hours, while Margaret is a photojournalist and was not working for quite some time after they arrived in Africa so she found herself getting quite frustrated with her mundane lifestyle. They don't have many friends in the area, so after being alone all day Margaret is starving for people to be with. So it really wasn't a surprise when after meeting Arthur and Diana they dive right into a friendship with people they hardly know for the feeling of companionship.
After several outings together, the two couples decide to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Kenya together. Little do they know that climbing this mountain will change all of their lives forever. After the tragedy on the mountain they return to their lives in a way that pushes the events of the climb to the far recesses of their minds. Even though Patrick doesn't want to talk about what happened on the mountain, Margaret is haunted by the memory and can't understand why she can't seem to go on with her life when the others don't seem to have a problem.
One thing that I have always liked about Shreve's writing is that she always seems to spin a story about realistic people. I can't say that I liked Margaret or Patrick's characters, but I think that is one of the reasons that I did enjoy this book. In real life I don't like everyone that crosses my path, so why would I expect that in a book? I do admit that I would have liked to get to know Margaret a bit more throughout the story. But then when I consider how young Margaret actually was in the story, I can't help but ask myself how much more could she have offered as a character?
Throughout the story Margaret struggles with the guilt that the tragedy on the mountain was her fault. It doesn't help when her husband openly admits that he also blames her for the events that took place. For me, this story was about Margaret finding her true self by seeking forgiveness mostly from her own mind and emotions. It is only when she accepts herself that she will be able to move on and find her place in this world.
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pages. Margaret and Patrick are newlyweds that have decided to start their lives off together by spending some time in Africa. As a doctor Patrick finds himself very busy and working quite long hours, while Margaret is a photojournalist and was not working for quite some time after they arrived in Africa so she found herself getting quite frustrated with her mundane lifestyle. They don't have many friends in the area, so after being alone all day Margaret is starving for people to be with. So it really wasn't a surprise when after meeting Arthur and Diana they dive right into a friendship with people they hardly know for the feeling of companionship.
After several outings together, the two couples decide to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Kenya together. Little do they know that climbing this mountain will change all of their lives forever. After the tragedy on the mountain they return to their lives in a way that pushes the events of the climb to the far recesses of their minds. Even though Patrick doesn't want to talk about what happened on the mountain, Margaret is haunted by the memory and can't understand why she can't seem to go on with her life when the others don't seem to have a problem.
One thing that I have always liked about Shreve's writing is that she always seems to spin a story about realistic people. I can't say that I liked Margaret or Patrick's characters, but I think that is one of the reasons that I did enjoy this book. In real life I don't like everyone that crosses my path, so why would I expect that in a book? I do admit that I would have liked to get to know Margaret a bit more throughout the story. But then when I consider how young Margaret actually was in the story, I can't help but ask myself how much more could she have offered as a character?
Throughout the story Margaret struggles with the guilt that the tragedy on the mountain was her fault. It doesn't help when her husband openly admits that he also blames her for the events that took place. For me, this story was about Margaret finding her true self by seeking forgiveness mostly from her own mind and emotions. It is only when she accepts herself that she will be able to move on and find her place in this world.
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LibraryThing member EllieM
Not one of her best. I did not buy all of the guilt issues which means the plot did not really work. ut still plenty of sultry atmosphere to enjoy.
LibraryThing member Quiltinfun06
A Change in Altitude is yet another magnificent novel by Anita Shreve. Margaret and Patrick leave Boston and head to Africa so that Patrick a doctor can do research. While there, they move into a cottage owned by Diana and Arthur, who are an adventuresome type. Before too long, Margaret and Patrick
She now bears the weight of her decision and actions. She has more to concern herself with after the climb as she tries to maintain a marriage that is marred by the tragedy on Mt Kenya. In an attempt to find herself she takes on employment as a photographer with a controversial newspaper and further complicates her life.
This is a well written novel that graphically portrays the tensions in Africa as the people suffer through harsh political times. While Africa struggles so do Patrick and Margaret to save their marriage and come to terms with the tragedy on Mt. Kenya.
I recommend this novel as strongly as I have all the other novels written by Shreve. It doesn’t fail to deliver a wonderful adventure transporting the reader to another place and time where life isn’t simple and love even harder to survive.
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are planning to go on a climb to the top of Mt. Kenya. This is no easy feat and Margaret soon comes to realize that she is ill prepared for such an expedition. She struggles to keep up and belong and tries not to cause any trouble for the other climbers. Soon, the unforeseen occurs and Diana falls to here death leaving Arthur and the rest of the climbers in shock. What happened? Why did Diana, a climber with some experience, break away from the pack and take a risk that caused her death? All eyes and blame are on placed on Margaret.She now bears the weight of her decision and actions. She has more to concern herself with after the climb as she tries to maintain a marriage that is marred by the tragedy on Mt Kenya. In an attempt to find herself she takes on employment as a photographer with a controversial newspaper and further complicates her life.
This is a well written novel that graphically portrays the tensions in Africa as the people suffer through harsh political times. While Africa struggles so do Patrick and Margaret to save their marriage and come to terms with the tragedy on Mt. Kenya.
I recommend this novel as strongly as I have all the other novels written by Shreve. It doesn’t fail to deliver a wonderful adventure transporting the reader to another place and time where life isn’t simple and love even harder to survive.
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LibraryThing member ValNewHope
I liked her writing style, but the plot devices seemed forced and the initial decision to climb the mountain seemed foolhardy at best. But it did keep me reading until the end.
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
I love Shreve's work. I love how at the end of every book she always leaves the reader slightly unsettled, as if there is more to the story. She refuses to wrap up the ending in a solid "Hollywood-happy" resolution.
Margaret and Patrick are newlyweds; only married for five months and yet I
I couldn't get a read on Margaret. It was weird, but I found her to be a bit unemotional. She was strangely calm when the couple's only car is stolen or when she is attacked by fire ants. [The fire ant scene made me itch for days.]
Margaret and Patrick are newlyweds; only married for five months and yet I
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personally found their relationship flat and dispassionate. He, a doctor, travels around Kenya in exchange for research data on equatorial diseases. She, an out of work photographer, hopes to freelance around Nairobi and capture landscapes unfamiliar to her American eye. Together Patrick and Margaret join two other couples in an effort to climb Mount Kenya. Almost immediately, there is an imbalance to their chemistry. Margaret's feminist sensibilities were threatened when she couldn't earn her keep with a job and now she can't keep up with the mountaineering climb. The others continuously leave her behind. Her companions have a much easier go at it. She is further insulted when the men in the group display subtle attitudes of sexism towards her. Arthur repeatedly claims he will take care of her while Wilfred casually refers to the women in the group as "girls." Her climbing partners are snobbish; questioning the Masai tribe that has been around for centuries. All the while Margaret doesn't fit in and stays quiet. She has something to prove but does little to promote her capabilities. Oddly, it is only after tragedy strikes is she then able to find her voice. This tragedy will carry consequences long into the future; long after Margaret finds a photography job with a controversial newspaper; long after Patrick and Margaret have new troubles in their marriage. I couldn't get a read on Margaret. It was weird, but I found her to be a bit unemotional. She was strangely calm when the couple's only car is stolen or when she is attacked by fire ants. [The fire ant scene made me itch for days.]
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2009-09-22
Physical description
384 p.; 4.96 inches
ISBN
0349120595 / 9780349120591