Housewrights - Art Corriveau

I picked up this book for $1 on the bargain shelf at my local used bookstore, and what a find!

The story begins in the early 1900s with the young Lily Willard. A housewright and his twin sons, a year older than Lily, come to build a new home for the Willard family. Oren and Ian Pritchard don't know much about the world, having spent their lives living in a caravan, traveling from house to house with their father and learning the housewright trade. Lily and the twins become fast friends, and she teaches them how to read, how to ride a horse, and shows them special places around her country home.

But soon the Willard house is finished, and the Pritchards must move on to the next job. Young Oren pledges his love to Lily before they go. Years pass and Lily rarely thinks of the Pritchards, until Oren shows up with the intent of taking Lily as his wife. Lily falls in love with this giant, gentle man and they do indeed marry, and Oren begins to build a house of their own.

But where is Ian? He is off serving in the war, and returns to the States a wounded man. Lily and Oren take him in; for Lily has learned to understand that her life with Oren was also intended to include Ian as well. He moves in with them and the three become entangled in a unique relationship that is viewed as unconventional by the small Vermont town that Lily was born and raised in. Lily's relationship with Ian is innocent, but Ian represents many things his brother is not - gregarious, musical, and full of laughter. She finds herself doubting if she married the right brother. Oren senses this, but the reality is that he is a better man with his brother near his side...which is where the conflict lies. But the three of them seem fairly comfortable in their unique trio.

However, eventually the talk of the town becomes too much, and Lily encourages the courtship of Ian and her friend, Hallie. Ian and Hallie marry, but life is never the same for the Pritchards. Oren and Ian grow apart, and Lily and Oren's marriage falters while Ian and Hallie seem to grow stronger. It becomes clear that Oren needs Ian, but for Ian to truly be himself, he must be separate from Oren. Lily is jealous of Hallie and Ian's relationship, and Oren becomes distant, silently blaming her for the wall between he and his brother. The result is truly heartwrenching.

I really enjoyed the way this book is written - I could see each of the characters in my mind, and I felt like I knew them. The story speaks to the way it is in a small town, when your business is everyone's business, and "appearances" are put on to show the town what they want to see - even if it's at the expense of a relationship or a friendship. I also like the references to and descriptions of the work of the housewright, which served as a metaphor for Oren's struggle. My only criticism is that sometimes the storyline seemed a little too modern for the actual time period, and I found that I had to remind myself it was early 1900s. But I suppose that makes Oren, Ian and Lily's relationship all the more unusual to be set in such a time.

This is Art Corriveau's first novel (published in 2002), and Housewrights definitely made me curious about any other of his works. According to his website, he has a collection of short stories coming out this fall. I'll be looking for it!