Morgan, Claire (Patricia Highsmith). The Price of Salt (Carol).
"The novel of a love society forbids. ' ... handles explosive material ... with sincerity and good taste.' New YOrk Times."
SUMMARY:
Young Therese works in a frighteningly low end job in a department store. The cool, beautiful Carol comes in to buy a Christmas gift for her daughter, and Therese is smitten (although she does understand her feelings as lesbian. She sends Carol a thank-you card, and Carol, almost out of boredom, answers and invites Therese for a drink. A very long kind of courtship ensues – Carol understands what is happening, Therese only knows that she wants nothing more than to be around Carol. They go on a road trip and finally admit their feelings towards each other. Unbeknownst to them, they are being followed by a detective hired by Carol's husband, Reg. Reg manages to blackmail Carol back into her marriage, Therese goes through a time of great pain, but ultimately comes back to New York to pursue her stage design career. Carol tells her that she actually gave up her rights as a mother to be with Therese, and that she still loves Therese and wants to make a life with her. Therese says no, goes to a party for the theatre people, meets an actress who expresses interest, and realizes that she does in fact still love Carol. She goes and finds Carol in a restaurant, a meaningful look passes between them, and we are all thrilled to know that they will be together.
OPINION:
Without a doubt one of the much better written if not the most well written of the genre (although it appeared in hard back first so is not a paperback original). Restrained and taught writing. Not much more that I can add to what has already been said about this book. It is unfortunate that Highstmith never wrote any other lesbian books. It is also unfortunate that she appears to have aged very ungraciously and turned into a kind of alcoholic anti-Semitic bitter person. Her love affair with Marijane Meaker is told in Meaker's not so well written memoir.
Jaye Zimet puts this book in the 'Cliterature' section of her book.
c2007 melodie morgan frances
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