Rating: 3 stars
Gilly Soloman has a life most women would die for: a stay at home mother, married to a wonderful man, two adorable children and even a dog. Gilly is truly living the American dream, but she wants to run away from it all; the stink of spilled milk in car’s backseat, her needy children, an endless “To Do List” and a husband who only helps out when he feels like it.
As Gilly drives home from her latest time consuming errand, she stops at an ATM. When she gets back in the car, a man holding a knife climbs into the passenger seat. Gilly must stop this madman before he can hurt her or her babies. She crashes the car and helps her children flee, only to be held hostage by the man. When Gilly finally has an opportunity to escape, she realizes if she stays, she doesn’t have to return to the constant needing and never-ending demands placed upon her.
Her kidnapper, Todd, takes her deep into the woods where he was left a cabin by his uncle. Todd is lonely and afraid, just out of prison with nothing to live for. Todd feels Gilly is a kindred soul and soon he wonders if they could stay in the woods together and build a happy family. Gilly sympathizes with Todd, but as the winter moves on she longs to return to all she has left behind; but, Todd refuses to let her go and Gilly must decide how far she will go to get free.
Precious and Fragile Things is told from the point of view of Gilly, a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Some may view Gilly as selfish, but I saw her as a woman on the verge of despair and hopelessness. Even though her decision to stay with Todd may seem very strange, this gives her the chance to recognize all that she has and how blessed she truly is.
Todd is a sympathetic character that reminds me very much of Bigger Smart, from the classic novel, Native Son by Richard Wright. As Bigger was a product of his environment, the same applies to Todd.
The one major problem I had with Precious and Fragile Things is a sudden, out of left field shocking admittance by Todd. I really can’t understand why Megan Hart would add it. Even with this issue concerning Todd, and the too pat, questionable ending, I still felt myself drawn in by these two characters and their histories.
Much like Emma Donoghue’s Room is about the power of love, Megan Hart’s Precious and Fragile Things shows how nothing should never be taken for granted. Life is precious in all its forms, and sometimes it takes a disturbing event or an unsettling person to place a mirror up to our faces, much like Todd does for Gilly.
Precious and Fragile Things is a poignant and reflective tale that I urge anyone read. Afterward, you may find yourself holding those you love close and thanking them for loving you in return.
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Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Mira; Original edition (December 21, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0778329244