The Seduction of Water

by Carol Goodman

Iris Greenfeder is stuck: stuck in her writing career, stuck in her academic career (all but dissertation), and stuck in her relationship. And then she comes up with the most interesting class assignment for her students—write about a fairy tale that appealed to you during childhood. Iris also writes about a fairy tale, and when she does, she realizes that the fairy tale is directly connected to her mother and her mother’s novels.

Aha! Iris does have something to write about after all: her mother and her biographical/personal connection to her fantasy novels. In order to research all of this, Irish will return to the hotel in which she grew up, a hotel in the Catskills.

Plenty of intrigue, a missing manuscript, stolen clothing and jewels, and illicit affairs are all included in this one summer in the Catskills. Slow at first, but worth the work.

8/3/09