Many of us are finding extra time to read during the stay at home situation. I am one who always has a book to read, and I find nearly all of them at the public library. Our library, like yours, has been closed for weeks. When I bemoaned that fact to a friend one day, as we chatted on the phone, she came to my rescue. "Oh, no problem," she said. "I have lots of books, just hate to give them up. You can have as many as you want.
One of the books in the last batch she shared is Chances Are by Richard Russo, I read the brief summary of the book yesterday afternoon and wasn' t sure I would like it. The story revolves around three men, all 66, who had been college roommates and close friends, but all individuals. They live in different parts of the country but meet at the Martha's Vineyard summer home of one. Knowing Richard Russo has been a successful author made me decide to go ahead and give it a try.
Last night, I read just over fifty pages. It didn't take that many to pull me into the story. The prologue managed to hook me. I lay awake for a while last night trying to figure out what drew me in so quickly. It wasn't fast action like you might find in a spy thriller. Instead, his ability to paint characters who come alive made me want to continue reading to see what happens to these old codgers. The early pages show the reader the young men at the small eastern college where they met. The time is during the Vietnam War when all college students waited and worried about their draft number coming up.
Russo seamlessly weaves each young man's background into those present college days. All so different and yet they formed a close bond. He set the scene so well before taking the reader forty-four years later. Just prior to the weekend meeting, Russo once again draws perfect character sketches of each mature man, where they lived, what they'd done career-wise, and their emotional sides, too.
What impressed me was how well this author drew me in. He gave me, the reader, just enough information that I wanted to know more. A young woman at the college sorority where the three men worked is a small part of these early pages, but there is a hint that she will play a larger role as the weekend meeting of the men goes on.
The author created characters that were real people, not stick figures. They are flawed just like normal people/ They are real, not Hollywood silhouettes. He chose to have his book be character-driven, and he's done a super job. I found a lot of articles about character-driven novels. Check them out here to learn the difference between plot-driven and character-driven novels.
Is one better than the other? No, both kinds of novels can draw a reader. It's the skill of the author that makes the difference between creating a mild interest vs hooking the reader immediately. Mr. Russo is no beginner. His list of novels is impressive, two of them were made into movies.
I am looking forward to reading the remainder of Chances Are. Look it up at Amazon or Barnes and Noble to read more. While the characters are important, the circumstances and mystery are compelling, as well. It would be wise for any novelist to read as much as they can about developing characters.
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