TEST
Everybody’s got it. A spark, a kernel, something in our heads and hearts that lets us believe that someday we’ll meet that someone. The love fate intended for us. For some, the meeting happens early, for others it does not. Lamb in Love is the sweet, funny story of a man who thinks he’s finally found his soul mate, and the steps he’ll take to make her his.
Norris Lamb is that man. He’s a fifty-five year old postmaster who’s lived in the same small English town all his life. On the night of the first moonwalk in 1969, Norris awakens to the existence of the woman he thinks is meant for him. He’s known forty-one year old Vida Stephen all her life, but until he sees her dancing alone in the moonlight, he hasn’t really seen her. Now “despite her gravity, her patient attitude, her careful clothes, Norris sees Vida as something wild, something barely contained-something greater, perhaps, than she is.” Once he has become aware of this, he begins his quest to make her love him.
As a young woman, Vida took over the care of Manford, the retarded son of a wealthy, widowed American. Manford’s father has never bothered with his mute son, and his upbringing has been left to Vida. She loves him as though he were her own, but she knows that because of him, life is passing her by. When she begins to get letters and other gifts, she is at first intrigued, then alarmed. She hasn’t a clue who the sender is, and when he leaves a gift on her bed, she’s freaked out – as any right-thinking woman would be.
Norris’ missteps in the wooing department are part of the charm of this novel. He’s never been in love before, never had a girlfriend, and he doesn’t have anyone to confide in about his new love. What’s a guy gonna do? He’s meticulous, determined and though he doesn’t know it, creative. His first efforts are romantic. He writes to professional friends in Egypt and Greece, encloses a letter to Vida in each of their envelopes, asks them to pick a stamp with a theme of love, and post Vida’s letter. When Vida receives these anonymous love letters from Greece and then Egypt, she is stunned.
Unfortunately, Norris’ efforts aren’t always as successful. Because of his inexperience in courtship, he has no sense of boundaries. He doesn’t have a clue that leaving an intimate gift in Vida’s bedroom might disturb her. When he begins to take an interest in Manford, Vida is perplexed. Since she too is a novice in matters of the heart, she doesn’t know why he would be interested in her charge. Not for a moment does she suspect that Norris is her anonymous admirer.
The strength of Ms. Brown’s story lies in her setting and characters. Vida and Norris are the endearing center of this book, but they are not alone in the village of Huxley. Each of the supporting characters has a part to play in their lives. Manford, the man-child in Vida’s care, is pivotal in the skewed romance of Norris and Vida. As Norris spends more time with the handicapped man, he comes to know and care for him as a person in his own right, and not just as an extension of Vida’s life.
Rediscovery of the people around us is a recurring theme. Almost every character in the book has a moment of rediscovery. Vida learns new things about Manford as she watches him interact with Norris. The local doctor sees things in Vida and Manford as they begin to spend more time in the village. No character remains unchanged, even if it is only in the smallest way. The book is almost an instruction manual, letting us know how to open our eyes to the people around us.
A quibble and a warning: My quibble is the length of time it took for the story to get going. I knew on page one that Norris loved Vida, and that he intended to make her aware of that fact, though he wasn’t sure how. I realized that his courtship would be a painstaking process, as that was the kind of man he was. But it took a little too long. Other then exchanging a few pleasantries with Vida, Norris barely had contact with her by the middle of the book. It just wasn’t enough. Because I was aware how passionate his feelings were, I needed action a little sooner. The warning is for those of you looking for a traditional romance. This is not one. It’s labeled “fiction” for a reason, so consider yourself warned.
Carrie Brown writes with a kind of quiet humor. She lets us laugh at these characters, but also makes us see how like them we are. In many ways I was reminded of another quietly funny book I’ve always loved – 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. One is fiction, the other nonfiction, but both examine and delve into human interactions in subtle ways. I can’t give Lamb in Love an unconditional rave, because the pacing was a little too slow, but I do give it high marks.
Grade: B+
Book Type: Fiction
Sensuality: Kisses
Review Date: 10/07/00
Publication Date: 2000
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.