"The winds of change are blowing..."
Reviewed by Dot Dittman
Posted August 2, 2014
Women's Fiction
Three sisters--who all share the same father but have
different mothers and upbringings-- used to meet every
summer at their paternal grandmother's house Sea Breeze in
the lowcountry of South Carolina.
It's been years and the sisters have lost touch with each
other when Maw-Maw (as they call their grandmother,
Marietta Muir) decides that it's time for them to re-
connect one last summer before she sells her house.
THE SUMMER WIND is Mary Alice Monroe's second installment
in the story of the sisters that began in the novel, The
Summer Girls. This one deals with Dora, the oldest sister.
She has tried to be the perfect Southern wife and mother
and has lost her way. She unselfishly gives everything to
her husband and son and loses her identity in the process.
She doesn't think she matters any more. With a divorce on
the horizon and her autistic son making even more demands
on her life, she is indeed lost and confused.
Mary Alice Monroe, has mastered the art of reflecting the
dispositions of her characters in the world that surrounds
them. Dora has witnessed the injuries that happened to a
dolphin caught in a net by dependence and trust in humans.
Dora is "caught" in a loveless marriage and has a health
problem called "broken heart syndrome" that could lead to
worse health problems if she doesn't take care.
Another instance is when Dora stands in her old house that
has to be sold for the divorce. It cannot be sold as it is,
because Dora and her husband Cal have not taken care of it
through the years. Dora likens herself to the old
house, "Beneath her ever-present smile, she was crumbling."
She compares their marriage to the house as well as she
realizes "that no amount of effort on her part could save
it."
Dora, who always is in control, must allow herself to
depend on her sisters and grandmother and some special
friends to help her through this time of healing and
rediscovery. Again, the environment--this time the house of
Sea Breeze—is the scene of hope and re-claimed happiness.
I loved THE SUMMER WIND because I am a fan of "second
chance"
or "make-over" stories. Dora is a beautiful person on the
inside who has convinced herself that her outside self
doesn't matter any more because she is older. She feels
guilty for any time taken away from her many
responsibilities and spent on herself. THE SUMMER WIND
speaks to
women "of a certain age" who feel that their dreams are no
longer important. I look forward to the third installment of the Lowcountry
Summer series.
SUMMARY
The Summer Wind is the second book in Monroe’s Lowcountry
Summer trilogy, following the New York Times bestselling The
Summer Girls. This series is a poignant and heartwarming
story of three half-sisters and their grandmother, who is
determined to help them rediscover their southern roots and
family bonds. It’s midsummer and Eudora, nicknamed Dora, is staying at Sea
Breeze, the family’s ancestral home on Sullivan’s Island.
For years, Dora has played the role of the perfect wife and
mother in a loveless marriage. Now her husband filed for
divorce, her child is diagnosed with autism, and her house
is on the market. Dora’s facade collapses under the weight
of her grief and she suffers “broken heart syndrome.” Mamaw and the girls rally around Dora—but it’s up to Dora to
heal herself as she spends the summer prowling the beach,
discovering the secrets of the island and her heart. This is
a summer of discovery for all the women of Sea Breeze.
Carson returns from Florida to face life-changing decisions,
Lucille confronts a health scare, and an unexpected visitor
has Harper reconsidering her life’s direction. When tropical storm winds batter the island, the women must
band together and weather the tempest—both the one outside
their windows and the raging sea of emotions within each of
them. They must learn again what it means to be a sister. It
is up to Mamaw to keep the light burning at Sea Breeze to
guide the girls through the lies, the threats, and the rocky
waters of indecision to home.
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