Onion

by Kate Braestrup

After putting aside her plan to become the first feminist theologian in favor of marriage, Ellen Elliot finds herself adrift in a mundane world of household concerns and escapes through an imaginary affair with a physicist

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 1990

Reviews

[Elaine Burnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was a surprise. I loved her memoir, Here If You Need Me, about her life as a chaplain for the Maine (Game) Warden Service after the death of her police officer husband. I found this novel on our bookshelf when I was transferring them to a new bookcase. It's my wife's and she's had it since before we met. Unfortunately, this seems to be out of print, and the fact that she got it at a library sale means it might not be too available there, either, though there are used ones on Amazon. There is a lesbian in it. I loved her character, who is not the main character. We've all read stories of lesbians falling for straight women, well here's the reverse in a subplot. The thoughts of a straight woman who learns a lesbian is in love with her. I liked that a lot. There are also extremely visceral depictions of both an abortion and childbirth. I found this very thought-provoking and an extremely good debut novel. It feels autobiographical, but doesn't seem to be other than the author did marry a man who became a police officer. The writing weaves back and forth from her present, with a one-year-old nicknamed Onion, and her past as a child and college student. It's a bit disorienting but is like an onion (though I didn't cry). This novel is from 1990 and she hasn't written another. I wish she would.

[Layly Roodsari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting much from this book when I found it at the library. A plain book nested between other old books right at eye level. The title "Onion" was intriguing so I read it. And I enjoyed it.

The main character, Ellen Elliot, although nothing like me, felt familiar. A new mother, she spends most of her days with her one year old son, Onion. Her husband, a policeman, spends most of his day away from home (since he has a job) so Ellen is left to her own thoughts all day. And this is where it gets interesting, depending on whether or not you like long inner monologues varying from religion to flirty banter about physics.

The story weaves in and out, from the present, to the past, to hopes for the future. The characters are colorful and varied, coming from all races, ages, and sexual orientations. There is no plot, no clear point the book is building up to, yet it entices you anyway.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic characters and thoughtful views on life. Not for people who are looking for action or drama.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fantastically odd book - a monologue, more than anything, on the protagonist's developing beliefs about God and marriage and men and women. It's fascinating, although not, perhaps, as a novel - fascinating more for the glimpse it provides into Braestrup's younger life and the questions she was already forming through her writing. There's great wisdom amid all the talking and talking - observations about being female, being male, being a new parent, trying to grow into a new role in life. I'm glad I read it, but more because it feels like a conversation with an old friend telling stories about their younger years than because it's a great work of literature.

[Sarah Billing]

I did not enjoy this book because of the writing style. The first Braestrup book I read was "There if you need me", but this book just wasn't as good in my opinion.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked parts of the story but really didn't understand other parts. It was very wordy in places and I couldn't understand what she was actually trying to convey.