Penelope Lively
Heat Wave by Penelope Lively is the story of two infidelities a generation apart.
Pauline Carter, in her mid-50s, is a copy editor. She spends her summers in a cottage in rural Oxfordshire. She is joined by her daughter, Teresa; Teresa’s husband, Maurice; and Luke, their 15-month-old baby. Maurice is working on a book about the tourist industry and spending the summer at the cottage to avoid distractions while writing. Pauline lives on one side of the cottage and Teresa and Maurice on the other. Because they share a garden and some living space, Pauline has ample opportunity to observe her daughter. She witnesses Teresa’s overwhelming love for Maurice—how her face lights up when she sees him and how she hangs on his every word. Teresa’s unequivocal devotion to her husband troubles Pauline because she recognizes her younger self in Teresa—how she was once equally passionate about her former husband until she could no longer tolerate his repeated infidelities.
Pauline’s concern for Teresa is compounded when Maurice’s editor and his girlfriend visit them at the cottage. Her suspicions are aroused when she observes Maurice’s interaction with the girlfriend and recognizes the signs of a potential adultery. Maurice’s behavior conjures up painful memories of her former husband’s infidelities. The past bleeds into the present with the two men becoming interchangeable in her mind. Powerless to protect her daughter, Pauline watches, waits, and remembers, all the while achingly aware her daughter will experience the pain of betrayal. She wonders how much—if anything—to reveal to her daughter. When Teresa eventually becomes cognizant of her husband’s adultery, she confides in her mother. The gut-wrenching pain she experiences resonates with Pauline. All comes to a head at the end of the novel with a resounding crash.
The tension builds up slowly and is powerfully executed. Pauline’s flashbacks concerning her husband’s adulterous relationships increase the tension as she observes identical mannerisms and behaviors in her son-in-law. The dual time frames serve to enhance one another and accentuate Pauline’s concern for Teresa as she recalls her own pain. The tension is mitigated by eloquent descriptions of nature. Pauline keeps her windows open and frequently looks out to describe the landscape as it goes through its seasonal changes, blue skies, and sunbaked drought conditions. The descriptions are lyrical and capture the sights, sounds, and smells of the rural environment in the heat of summer.
Characterization is one of the major strengths of the novel. Penelope Lively effectively and efficiently draws her characters, giving each a unique and well-rounded identity. She has an uncanny understanding of human nature and demonstrates an ability to capture the essence of a character through a simple gesture, a look, a raised eyebrow, or a pregnant silence. Even her descriptions of the toddler as he waddles from one place to another effectively enable the reader to see the world through his eyes and experience his sense of wonderment.
A wonderful novel, highly recommended for its eloquent descriptions of nature, its astute characterizations, and its subtle execution of a powerful punch.