My favorite book this year was Ahab's Wife by Sena Naslund. This book has been around for a while. I had reread Melville's Moby Dick as part of a study group early in the year, and my daughter suggested I read Ahab's Wife as a follow up. It is an amazing story of daring, heartache, love and endurance.
I must admit that Ahab was never a shining character in Moby Dick, and to think any young woman could fall in love with him... well there are only a few more despicable characters in history who are worse. Yet, that is exactly what the adventurous yet vulnerable Una Spenser did. But the story is more than that. It is about a woman, finding her way in life, through extremely difficult times.
I think if I had to face some of the situations that Una did, I would have folded under the pressure, and crawled into a safe haven, any where I could, and maybe died.
Una, however, portrayed resilience as she dealt with her maniacal first young love; then her wonderful Ahab, whom she knew as a leader of men and hero; and finally finding happiness with a good man who loved her in return. She was a woman of graciousness throughout.
The story is told well, poetic in its descriptions and a delight to read, despite its 600 pages or so.
Lesson learned: it ain't over 'til it's over.
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