Fire Exit by Morgan Talty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**4.5-stars rounded up**
Fire Exit is a realistic Literary Fiction novel that falls completely outside of my comfort zone. I picked this one up because of one reason, and one reason only: Morgan Talty.
I’ve read short-fiction from him and loved it. Additionally, he’s an Assistant Professor at my alma mater, University of Maine, Orono. His stories take place around that area, so there’s also that connection.
This book is about life. More specifically, it’s about Charles Lamosway’s life. The story-telling feels very Coming of Age. Although this isn’t that type of story, Charles takes us through certain portions of his life in a way that makes it feel like that subgenre.
There’s a lot going on in his life, which he focuses on in his narration. First and foremost, is the fact that he has a daughter, Elizabeth, the result of an affair, who doesn’t know the true nature of her parentage.
For years, this has weighed on him. He’s watched Elizabeth grow up, as she lives just across the river from him.
As she comes of age, and his life transitions into its later stages, he starts to feel compelled to share the truth with her. He feels she has the right to know. She has the right to know her true history, who she is and where she came from.
He’s not trying to negate all her parents have done for her, he doesn’t want anything from her really, but Elizabeth’s mother, Mary, doesn’t see it the same way as Charles.
Then there’s his relationship with his mom, Louise. That’s complicated too. He loves his mother. He’s dedicated to her, but it’s not always easy.
Louise has struggled with depression for many, many years. Charles and Louise have also experienced a terrible trauma together, which they never discuss. He has unresolved guilt from that event that continues to haunt him.
Louise is now succumbing to dementia and she’s more reliant on Charles than ever. She’s not always kind, and rarely recognizes him, yet he is 100%-committed to her care. It’s a situation he wasn’t prepared for.
The whole journey he’s on with his mom has caused him to confront a lot of issues from his life. Such as distant moments of his childhood, his relationship with his Mom and step-Dad, Frederick, and of course, his nonexistent relationship with his daughter, Elizabeth.
I thought everything about this was beautifully-done. I loved the writing. I loved the delivery of Charles’s voice and story. I felt like I was sitting with him at a bar in Old Town and he was just relating moments of his life to me.
It amazed me how invested I got in each of the different aspects that Charles was exploring. As mentioned above, this isn’t normally a type of story that I would pick up, but I’m so glad that I did. It was emotional, yet so enjoyable.
I would recommend this to all my Literary Fiction friends out there, or Readers who enjoy the quality of storytelling in a Coming of Age narrative. Also, the audiobook is fantastic. I def recommend that format as well.
Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Morgan Talty is such a talent. I can’t wait to read more from him!!