CABIN LESSONS

A free-spirited middle-aged woman leaves her husband and family to pursue her dreams in this second novel by Furst.

Furst’s 2016 debut novel, Everyday Truth of a Rainbow Woman, recounts the story of Grace Heronheart, a school psychologist from rural West Virginia who quits her job to become a writer. This follow-up rejoins Grace on her journey. The aspiring writer has formed a strong bond with an enigmatic “cabin-dweller” named Shaun, who lives alone by a river. Grace makes day trips to the river and talks with Shaun about “books, reading, writing, or his life in the cabin” while her son, Justin, swims in the river. It’s not long before passions flare between Grace and Shaun, and they become locked in a deeply sensual relationship. Grace leaves her unhappy marriage to live in the cabin, much to the chagrin of her son, who refuses contact with her. So continues Grace’s spiritual and literary adventure as she plunges deeper into a bohemian lifestyle, living simply and spending nights by the campfire listening to music, wrapped in Shaun’s arms or embarking on road trips. As with the first book, the voice used here is first-person singular, and Furst has the uncanny knack of fooling readers into thinking that this is a memoir. Her writing has a natural confessional style that seems to speak directly from the heart: “The little voice inside me that had drawn me to him was not one of logic. I had given up on the world of logic several years earlier. I listened to the voice without knowing, without attachment.” Readers skeptical of New-Age spirituality may balk at some of the language: “Oya is the goddess of change and wind and weather. We spun in circles nine times and asked for gentle changes in our lives.” Yet those who enjoyed being introduced to Grace and learning about her past lives in this book’s prequel will delight in reuniting with her as she embarks on a new and exciting journey.

Sensual, spiritually intuitive writing.