Claire Marvel by John Burnham Schwartz
Book Review by Sofia Burgess
Published March 2002 317 pages
John Burnham Schwartz's third book "Claire Marvel" is an extraordinary love story, full of unexpected complications and resolutions. The protagonist is a young graduate student of political science named Julian Rose. In a deluge of rain he meets and falls in love with a fellow undergrad. Interrupted by a death in her family, the romance cannot recapture its original momentum.
The relationship stalls further after an awkward encounter at a professor's party. The two go their separate ways, simultaneously avoiding and seeking each other. Chance encounters seem only to stimulate hope of a love renewed.
A final tragic and unforeseen death brings a sense of closure and allows Julian to shed his yearning for a love that could not be. Schwartz's third book is engaging; the characters are compelling and vividly portrayed. Ultimately it was a book in which love was sought but unseen; lives were separated by great gulfs because of poor choices.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it as a great summer read. It will show you a different perspective on love, marriage and family bonds. For this and other books, stop by the Leesburg Library where there's a book waiting just for you!
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