Nayane Cunha Cunha itibaren Menotey, Fransa itibaren Menotey, Fransa

I just re-read this recently and remembered why I thought it was the least of the trilogy. While Cassie is an interesting character, the rest of the story doesn't quite rise up to support her in the way of The Solace of Leaving Early and The Used World. The first time I read this I rushed through it looking for traces of Taos. I think that the part of The Solace of Leaving Early that resonated most with me was the focus on sibling relationships, so I read the scenes in New Orleans a few times over, glad that Taos was there, if only briefly.

The Company She Keeps is the life of Margaret Sargeant told in short stories. Margaret, a cosmopolitan intellectual, lived a modern life in the 1930s as a single career woman with many interests, experiences, and lovers. I was struck most by the vibrant intellectual (read Marxist) world portrayed in the novel. McCarthy has a distinctive voice that feels modern even today. This, McCarthy's first novel was controversial at its publication for its frank and open discussion of sex. But within that discussion, the work is also a cautionary tale. Margaret lived a fast life, twice married, and by the last story, she is marginalized as a childless, depressed woman.