This is a dark and disturbing, but very well written novel of despair, regret, loneliness and unfulfilled dreams. The novel takes place in Alaska, and the locale is just as important as any of the characters. I can't imagine the story taking place anywhere else. Irene and her husband Gary are at a critical impasse in the their 30 year marriage. Gary gets the idea that they have to leave their house with heat and running water and all of the traditional trappings of life, and build a cabin in the woods on Caribou Island. Why Irene goes along with this plan is somewhat of a mystery to me. Is it fear of being alone? Habit? Female subordination? It's hard to say. The book opens with Irene recalling the day she came home from school to find her mother hanging, a suicide. So from the start, we know that Irene has lots of issues. This event colors her life and her relationship with her daughter, Rhoda.
The sea, fishing, and nature play an important role in the book and are used as strong metaphors throughout most of the story. The powerful ending is not surprising, and I won't give it away. Caribou Island is a quick read, with short chapters, told from the perspective of the different characters. It's worth reading, but not light fare, to be sure!
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