Good to a Fault

Good to a Fault, Marina Endicott

I have been procrastinating like mad on this post. I think it’s because I accidentally revealed to a mutual friend of the author that I was going to write it, and now I live in abject fear of her finding out I did and, worse (eek), reading it. Lesson learned, my friends!

How did this accidental reveal occur? For some reason, I always read the acknowledgements when I finish a book. It’s possible I just like to peer into the lives of authors to see who knows whom, or it could be I’m hoping to find any interesting cross-overs the way that musicians pop up in unexpected places as members of lesser-known bands or guest-participants in other bands’ albums. Honestly, this rarely pays off with books like it does with music, but in this case I was surprised! It turns out Marina thanked a friend whose name I recognized as an actress from wayyy back when I lived in Peterborough, Ontario. In my teens, I volunteered as an usher at Peterborough’s Arbor Theatre (this was also where my mother worked as the office manager, and where this mutual friend worked as an actor).  Marina also acted in the Peterborough Theatre scene, albeit after my time there. I loved volunteering at Arbor, and I know my mom loved working there, so this was a pretty cool connection.

Given all the back-story, I wish I could say that I chose this book, but it was actually selected for our book club by one of the other members, thinking it would be a nice, light read for spring (we’ve been leaning a little on the heavy side lately). As it turns out, not so light a read, but an excellent book club choice!

Marina is a wonderful writer, weaving together a considered and thoughtful character-driven story that explores the fine line between selflessness and selfishness.. My favourite fiction books feature excellent character development, and Good to a Fault was no exception. It’s possible to dislike many of her characters, but it’s difficult to not find them all immensely interesting. Every one of them seems to walk this line, drifting between genuine generosity and self-interest.

The book club had a healthy debate on this point. In the book, after getting into a minor car accident with them, Clara takes care of Lorraine’s family for months while she (Lorraine) is hospitalized, but is she doing it to out of guilt or kindness? Does she continue to care for the family out of generosity, or because it makes her feel important? Is Mrs. Zenko, who voluntarily steps in whenever Clara is over her head, truly selfless, or does this give her a new sense of purpose? As a group, we thought maybe Lorraine’s brother Darwin was the most selfless, but he disappears the minute he’s no longer needed, as if being needed is it’s own reward and once it’s gone, so too is he.

The question remains, is anyone truly selfless? I really don’t think so.

The subject reminded me (for real) of the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati, in particular an episode titled Jennifer and Johnny’s Charity. Through a 70’s- sitcom-style set of misunderstandings, a group of homeless people end up crashing the party of several wealthy philanthropists who are holding a gala to raise money for the homeless. At some point (and I forget the exact circumstances), one of the homeless men tells them “You don’t give money to help us, you give money because it makes you feel good. But we’ll still take it!” The TV show Friends explored a similar theme with an entertaining episode that saw Phoebe setting out to prove she could perform a selfless good deed and accidentally ending up benefiting from each attempt. (Note to self: I may watch too much TV….)

To bring it back around to the book, Marina explores this theme with a level of sophistication and subtlety that one would never associate with network television sitcoms, and it’s absolutely worth the read. She throws in some clever humour as well, in case that’s your TV raison d’etre.

Rating: I bought it. I think you should, too.

PS: A really nice thing happened since my last post. My mother told me she read some of my posts and thought I was a really good writer. That meant a lot, Mom. Thanks!