Cape May

I read a favourable review of this first novel by Chip Cheek and, since I like stories that are set in the 1950s I decided to give it a whirl. In 1957 Henry and Effie decide to spend their honeymoon at Effie's uncle's place in Cape May, New Jersey where Effie had enjoyed several summers as a child. At first the gloomy weather and the emptiness of the town in the off-season make them regret their decision but, just as they are prepared to return home to Georgia, things take a turn for the better. The two naive young southerners meet an older bohemian couple, Clara and Max, from New York who take them under their wing. They drink a great deal over the next several days as they are drawn into an exciting and sophisticated new world. The mood turns sultry and things become complicated. The style is atmospheric and exquisitely captures the mood of the 50s. When I envision scenes from the book I see the muted pastel palette used in design and film of the decade, the colours that are used on the book cover. I also see my parents who were a cute couple in their early twenties at that time. This novel is about desire in a time of sexual repression and about the way betrayal can taint a marriage. This is the type of novel I like to read on vacation, nostalgic, glamourous and undemanding.