Eleanor

January 1, 2016

Originally self-published, Gurley's literary fantasy opens with a cryptic scene of a pregnant woman, who later is revealed as Eleanor's Grandmother (as she is named), swimming in the Pacific Ocean in 1967 and not returning. The narrative then jumps to 1985, when we experience the visceral tragedy of the car crash that claims the life of Eleanor's identical twin, Esmerelda, when they are both children. A story of loss unfolds until eight years later, when Eleanor is struggling with her plight as caretaker for her alcoholic, clinically depressed mother. Then the book takes a major turn into the phantasmagorical as Eleanor is repeatedly pulled into an alternate dimension, reappearing days and even years later. This dimension is inhabited by the spirit of her dead sister and other fantastic characters, and the conclusion revolves around a highly abstract mending of the "broken" past. VERDICT Though this title has some intriguing moments, its divergent nature creates a challenging story line, and the creation of a "do-over" to fix a troubled past is both immediately attractive and ontologically facetious. Recommended for readers with a high tolerance for fantasy. [See Prepub Alert, 7/27/15.]--Henry Bankhead, San Rafael P.L., CA

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