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Turtle Season
After the premature death of her husband of thirty years, Anna Simon learns the comfortable life they shared in Seattle had been built on lies. The discovery of her husband's betrayal challenges everything she had previously believed. Grief and shock combine with menopause to topple her formerly secure identities as wife, mother, and educator. In an effort to build a new life, Anna pursues an interest in documentary film where she is surprised to find herself attracted to a talented and engaging woman. Will she have the courage to claim a new path, to trust her own feelings? Or will she scuttle back into her shell?
A funny and touching story of personal discovery, Turtle Season follows the deep inner journey of a woman at midlife as she chooses hope over despair and seeks a future that is true to her authentic self.
A funny and touching story of personal discovery, Turtle Season follows the deep inner journey of a woman at midlife as she chooses hope over despair and seeks a future that is true to her authentic self.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2012
About the author
Miriam Ruth Black
2 books15 followersMiriam Ruth Black’s life journey has been characterized by an adventurous spirit and love of change. She explores the theme of change—inevitable and often surprising, in her well-received debut novel, Turtle Season. A teaching degree in English from the University of Minnesota became a ticket to work in a variety of settings including the American International School in Israel and Los Angeles’s inner city. She earned a Master’s in Educational Psychology and then acquired a Marriage and Family Therapy License. Those degrees morphed into a career in the Northwest as a lecturer in education, substance abuse and mental health. Currently, she spends winters in Tucson, Arizona and summers in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 3, 2012
This is a lovely, lovely book about finding love--loving yourself within, and loving a partner. Warm, funny, and heartwarming, this story grabbed me immediately. The character of Anna feels like an old friend, and I was rooting for her from page one. A wonderful and empowering book about a woman experiencing one of life's greatest transitions--and the result is one that she never expected.
November 7, 2012
In Turtle Season, author Miriam Ruth Black tells the story of Anna, widowed for a year, dealing with menopause, and falling apart. After being formally reprimanded by her superior at the community college where she teaches, Anna quits her job, signs up for a documentary production class at the local university, and seeks some sort of meaning and satisfaction as she deals with her own version of mid-life crisis. As Anna takes interest in making a 10-minute documentary about a local gay and lesbian marching band, she develops a relationship with Carla, one of the band members. Initially, it is unclear to Anna whether she is physically attracted to Carla, but Anna is forced to question her own sexual identity as the relationship develops. Additionally, Anna discovers a secret that her now-deceased husband had been keeping from her and their children, leading her to question the authenticity of their marriage. Thus, Anna is forced to examine her marriage, her notions of intimate relationships, and her entire identity, as she negotiates her unsympathetic son, her loving but prying daughter, the travails of menopause, and the filming and production of the documentary.
The title Turtle Season suggests that Anna is herself like a turtle, one who can choose to either come out of her shell (and come "out" as a lesbian) or retreat to the safety of the comfortable domestic life she's always known, the life provided by her husband Mort. It is telling that as Anna attempts to sort out both her past with Mort and her new relationship with the "very out" lesbian, Carla, Anna spends much time hidden in her literal closet, crying and hiding from the world around her. Anna recalls a single sexual experience she had with another woman in college, but questions whether that, combined with her relationship with Carla really makes her a lesbian or not. Anna's mulling over of these questions strikes me as not terribly authentic. Or maybe I'm just young enough to see this narrative as rather passe and improbable all at the same time. I really find it hard to believe that the 55-ish-year-old widow after 25 years of marriage to a man is suddenly attracted to a woman, especially after the marriage and the very traditional assignment of gender roles within the home that Anna recalls seem to have provided her with satisfaction and a sense of identity all these years. I understand the identity crisis caused by the catalyst of being unexpectedly widowed. Why that should turn to a sexual identity crisis seems rather unlikely to this humble reader. At the same time, the questions Anna asks about her own experiences and her sexuality strike me as both passe and cliche.
As if Anna's questioning of her own sexuality isn't enough drama, Anna also discovers that her beloved husband Mort has been unfaithful to her for a number of years. He's even fathered a child with another woman with whom he's had a long-term relationship. Anna discovers a letter Mort left for her with a copy of the child's birth certificate and a request that Anna tell their own children about their half sister. What Mort was too cowardly to do in life, he requests that Anna do for him after his death. Predictably, Anna is upset,, hurt, angry, and feeling betrayed by Mort's behavior and the hypocrisy of his request. Again, this situation feels cliche and over the top all at the same time: the grieving widow is devastated to discover her husband has led a secret life. It feels like a scene far too common in literature and film but highly unlikely in real life. The addition of Anna's having to deal with Mort's betrayal, on top of managing her hormones and her relationship with Carla creates an unnecessary element of melodrama in the novel and pushes Anna's narrative towards soap opera, rather than something that resembles real life.
In one way, Black's novel reads like a new kind of "chick lit," one that deals with the perennial "chick" questions of menopause, mid- and late-life, and the difficulties of forging new interests and new romantic relationships amid the swirl of menopause, widowhood, and other life changes. It's like the chick lit of menopause, and I appreciate that this isn't just another novel about overly beautiful 20- and 30-somethings with more money than sense. And yet, I am not convinced that Black gives us anything more than simple chick lit repackaged for the post-50, middle class, female reader. Maybe I wanted more substance in Anna's quest for identity, her search to define herself in these common situations. But the problems Anna faces and the solutions she discovers read as both cliche and a bit unbelievable all at the same time. Still, Black demonstrates the potential need for a literature that deals with these situations common to the female experience.
On the whole, Black's writing itself is skillful. Her prose is crisp and clear, although I would have preferred a longer, more developed novel. This, however, is simply a matter of my personal preference. The ending resists tying up the loose ends: will Anna continue her relationship with Carla? How will she ultimately deal with her husband's infidelities? Black doesn't give us these answers. We, however, are left with the sense that Anna is moving forward, no longer weighted down by her identity as Mort's widow. Anna has come into her own.
This review was originally published on my blog, Speaking of Books: http://drennanspitzer.com Please visit me there!
NOTE: A review copy was provided by the author and by the publisher, Beaver's Pond Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.
The title Turtle Season suggests that Anna is herself like a turtle, one who can choose to either come out of her shell (and come "out" as a lesbian) or retreat to the safety of the comfortable domestic life she's always known, the life provided by her husband Mort. It is telling that as Anna attempts to sort out both her past with Mort and her new relationship with the "very out" lesbian, Carla, Anna spends much time hidden in her literal closet, crying and hiding from the world around her. Anna recalls a single sexual experience she had with another woman in college, but questions whether that, combined with her relationship with Carla really makes her a lesbian or not. Anna's mulling over of these questions strikes me as not terribly authentic. Or maybe I'm just young enough to see this narrative as rather passe and improbable all at the same time. I really find it hard to believe that the 55-ish-year-old widow after 25 years of marriage to a man is suddenly attracted to a woman, especially after the marriage and the very traditional assignment of gender roles within the home that Anna recalls seem to have provided her with satisfaction and a sense of identity all these years. I understand the identity crisis caused by the catalyst of being unexpectedly widowed. Why that should turn to a sexual identity crisis seems rather unlikely to this humble reader. At the same time, the questions Anna asks about her own experiences and her sexuality strike me as both passe and cliche.
As if Anna's questioning of her own sexuality isn't enough drama, Anna also discovers that her beloved husband Mort has been unfaithful to her for a number of years. He's even fathered a child with another woman with whom he's had a long-term relationship. Anna discovers a letter Mort left for her with a copy of the child's birth certificate and a request that Anna tell their own children about their half sister. What Mort was too cowardly to do in life, he requests that Anna do for him after his death. Predictably, Anna is upset,, hurt, angry, and feeling betrayed by Mort's behavior and the hypocrisy of his request. Again, this situation feels cliche and over the top all at the same time: the grieving widow is devastated to discover her husband has led a secret life. It feels like a scene far too common in literature and film but highly unlikely in real life. The addition of Anna's having to deal with Mort's betrayal, on top of managing her hormones and her relationship with Carla creates an unnecessary element of melodrama in the novel and pushes Anna's narrative towards soap opera, rather than something that resembles real life.
In one way, Black's novel reads like a new kind of "chick lit," one that deals with the perennial "chick" questions of menopause, mid- and late-life, and the difficulties of forging new interests and new romantic relationships amid the swirl of menopause, widowhood, and other life changes. It's like the chick lit of menopause, and I appreciate that this isn't just another novel about overly beautiful 20- and 30-somethings with more money than sense. And yet, I am not convinced that Black gives us anything more than simple chick lit repackaged for the post-50, middle class, female reader. Maybe I wanted more substance in Anna's quest for identity, her search to define herself in these common situations. But the problems Anna faces and the solutions she discovers read as both cliche and a bit unbelievable all at the same time. Still, Black demonstrates the potential need for a literature that deals with these situations common to the female experience.
On the whole, Black's writing itself is skillful. Her prose is crisp and clear, although I would have preferred a longer, more developed novel. This, however, is simply a matter of my personal preference. The ending resists tying up the loose ends: will Anna continue her relationship with Carla? How will she ultimately deal with her husband's infidelities? Black doesn't give us these answers. We, however, are left with the sense that Anna is moving forward, no longer weighted down by her identity as Mort's widow. Anna has come into her own.
This review was originally published on my blog, Speaking of Books: http://drennanspitzer.com Please visit me there!
NOTE: A review copy was provided by the author and by the publisher, Beaver's Pond Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.
December 6, 2020
This book sucked me in and I read most of it in one night. Easy and fast read.
I picked it up to enjoy a late-in-life-lesbian-love connection. That is definitely a part of the book (as in the description), but there is so much else going on, it doesn't get as much attention.
There were many threads in the main character's life at the moment. I felt some were way drawn out and others (the lesbian romance especially) didn't get the space they deserved.
Regardless. Good read and did a good job highlighting some stressors of realizing you're gay later in life.
I picked it up to enjoy a late-in-life-lesbian-love connection. That is definitely a part of the book (as in the description), but there is so much else going on, it doesn't get as much attention.
There were many threads in the main character's life at the moment. I felt some were way drawn out and others (the lesbian romance especially) didn't get the space they deserved.
Regardless. Good read and did a good job highlighting some stressors of realizing you're gay later in life.
November 14, 2012
The Fears and Pleasures of Coming Out of the Protective Shell
Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonii or Testudines characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. When fear approaches they have the ability to withdraw the unprotected parts of their anatomy - tail, four limbs and head and neck - in hopes that their shell will serve as a camouflage, creating the illusion that they are an implacable, uninteresting rock.
Miriam Ruth Black titles her book well - TURTLE SEASON represents the moment in her character Anna Simon's life when she is forced out of her `protective' environment as a wife when she faces the obstacles of being a widow, the unknowing victim of her now deceased husband's betrayal, the onset of menopause that further challenges her ability to cope, and leaving her job as an educator (she teaches students how to deal with the hospice concept), discovers her love of photography and most importantly discovers her true sexuality as she is brought out beautifully by the sensitive Carla. In many ways this novel is a coming of age novel - but the time of coming of age happens to be in that fragile period of a woman's life when her psyche and physiology and anatomy settle into a new role.
Black manages to relate this story with a fine sense of sensitivity to both the tragedy of her core tale and the humor of the realities she joins. Her descriptions of the Pacific Northwest are spot on: she is able to paint eloquent word canvases of that important juncture between the water and the land that defines Puget Sound. She is also able to pay attention to the peculiarities of documentary filmmaking. More importantly, she manages to share the feelings and push/pull emotions and actions of accepting her same sex self at a time in her life when many women (and men for that matter) falsely make the decision that `it's just too late to find a new me.'
Miriam Ruth Black will hopefully continue to create other sensitive and warmly humorous views of a world that at times needs rearranging. She does that very well.
Grady Harp
Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonii or Testudines characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. When fear approaches they have the ability to withdraw the unprotected parts of their anatomy - tail, four limbs and head and neck - in hopes that their shell will serve as a camouflage, creating the illusion that they are an implacable, uninteresting rock.
Miriam Ruth Black titles her book well - TURTLE SEASON represents the moment in her character Anna Simon's life when she is forced out of her `protective' environment as a wife when she faces the obstacles of being a widow, the unknowing victim of her now deceased husband's betrayal, the onset of menopause that further challenges her ability to cope, and leaving her job as an educator (she teaches students how to deal with the hospice concept), discovers her love of photography and most importantly discovers her true sexuality as she is brought out beautifully by the sensitive Carla. In many ways this novel is a coming of age novel - but the time of coming of age happens to be in that fragile period of a woman's life when her psyche and physiology and anatomy settle into a new role.
Black manages to relate this story with a fine sense of sensitivity to both the tragedy of her core tale and the humor of the realities she joins. Her descriptions of the Pacific Northwest are spot on: she is able to paint eloquent word canvases of that important juncture between the water and the land that defines Puget Sound. She is also able to pay attention to the peculiarities of documentary filmmaking. More importantly, she manages to share the feelings and push/pull emotions and actions of accepting her same sex self at a time in her life when many women (and men for that matter) falsely make the decision that `it's just too late to find a new me.'
Miriam Ruth Black will hopefully continue to create other sensitive and warmly humorous views of a world that at times needs rearranging. She does that very well.
Grady Harp
December 5, 2012
Anna's husband passed away a year ago. Add to that the effects of menopause and Anna doesn't feel comfortable in her own skin anymore. She's a professor at a local community college, but even there, she's losing touch. She doesn't want to do it anymore. She needs a change, so she enrolls in a documentary making class.
I was disappointed with the story. Not so much because of what happens to Anna, but what happens along the way. The characterization of men is very bad. They're either non-existent or evil creatures. I'm not a man, so I don't take direct defense, but I feel that attitude of that certain type of feminism that hates men. Anna's son is this self absorbed I don't want to use the word, but I have to say bastard as I can't think of anything else to describe him. But, her daughter is this beautiful creature who comes to her mother's aide when she feels she is needed. Quite a contrast. Anna's been like the perfect wife, but her husband is a cheater. Anna doesn't find this out until after he's dead, but it makes her look good while he looks bad. The women get raised on a pedestal while the men get thrown into a fire. I can understand having either the son or the father being a bad guy in the story, but not both. There are exactly three male characters in this story, if I recall correctly, and one's dead!
I do like the message that life doesn't end as we age. Anna's life hasn't ended. It's just changing. She's finding a new path for herself. I do like that. Our younger years may be behind us but that doesn't mean our life is gone. As Anna did we can pursue new things. We can find new loves. We are not gone.
This story does deal with lesbianism. It was a bit jarring for me, but that has nothing to do with the rating. This book just reminds me so much of some of my friends from high school days who were those feminists who hate men. I'm not one of them, even though they were my friends. While reading the novel I couldn't get that out of my head and it did end up tainting the story for me.
I was disappointed with the story. Not so much because of what happens to Anna, but what happens along the way. The characterization of men is very bad. They're either non-existent or evil creatures. I'm not a man, so I don't take direct defense, but I feel that attitude of that certain type of feminism that hates men. Anna's son is this self absorbed I don't want to use the word, but I have to say bastard as I can't think of anything else to describe him. But, her daughter is this beautiful creature who comes to her mother's aide when she feels she is needed. Quite a contrast. Anna's been like the perfect wife, but her husband is a cheater. Anna doesn't find this out until after he's dead, but it makes her look good while he looks bad. The women get raised on a pedestal while the men get thrown into a fire. I can understand having either the son or the father being a bad guy in the story, but not both. There are exactly three male characters in this story, if I recall correctly, and one's dead!
I do like the message that life doesn't end as we age. Anna's life hasn't ended. It's just changing. She's finding a new path for herself. I do like that. Our younger years may be behind us but that doesn't mean our life is gone. As Anna did we can pursue new things. We can find new loves. We are not gone.
This story does deal with lesbianism. It was a bit jarring for me, but that has nothing to do with the rating. This book just reminds me so much of some of my friends from high school days who were those feminists who hate men. I'm not one of them, even though they were my friends. While reading the novel I couldn't get that out of my head and it did end up tainting the story for me.
October 16, 2012
I've just finished reading Turtle Season and thoroughly enjoyed it. Miriam Black has a great idea for dialogue and she knows how to create interesting characters. I especially liked the main character, Anna, who goes through a process of self-discovery and reconciles herself with her past. I recommend the book unreservedly.
July 24, 2013
This was a difficult Book to rate.
The story began sad, intense and slightly confusing.
A woman had last her husband to a sudden stroke but
wasn't coping well even after a year's time.
Anna had been married thirty years. Her whole life
centered around her husband's schedule and her two
now grown - children. What life did she have left?
She was a professor who couldn't really function.
Her children had moved away. She seldom got to spend
time with her grandchildren.
This is a poignant tale of the search Anna made in
trying to connect with who she is now and what she
will do with her life. It portrays the many struggles
she went through just to survive and stay sane.
It is a story about self-discovery and painful
discoveries, never imagined, she now faced.
Anna enrolled in a college class of photography and
filming. Her partner and her determined to film their
documentary on a gay marching band in an upcoming
parade. Anna wondered if her partner was gay. It didn't
really matter.
The story was slow-moving and mellow but still a
well-written story with a lot of emotion and life
struggles.
Main points were Lesbian/gay community, hospice,
trust, grieving, loyalty, infidelity, and friendships.
I feel it deserves a book review of a strong Three
and a 1/2 Stars rating.
The book was generously sent to me for an honest book
review of which I have given.
The story began sad, intense and slightly confusing.
A woman had last her husband to a sudden stroke but
wasn't coping well even after a year's time.
Anna had been married thirty years. Her whole life
centered around her husband's schedule and her two
now grown - children. What life did she have left?
She was a professor who couldn't really function.
Her children had moved away. She seldom got to spend
time with her grandchildren.
This is a poignant tale of the search Anna made in
trying to connect with who she is now and what she
will do with her life. It portrays the many struggles
she went through just to survive and stay sane.
It is a story about self-discovery and painful
discoveries, never imagined, she now faced.
Anna enrolled in a college class of photography and
filming. Her partner and her determined to film their
documentary on a gay marching band in an upcoming
parade. Anna wondered if her partner was gay. It didn't
really matter.
The story was slow-moving and mellow but still a
well-written story with a lot of emotion and life
struggles.
Main points were Lesbian/gay community, hospice,
trust, grieving, loyalty, infidelity, and friendships.
I feel it deserves a book review of a strong Three
and a 1/2 Stars rating.
The book was generously sent to me for an honest book
review of which I have given.
December 17, 2012
I was committed to the book in the first few pages. Grief and loss are difficult to convey in a book, but Miriam Black did that in the first few pages.
I was fascinated by the detailed reviews posted by other readers and many of their comments made sense. For me, the book was worth reading because it touched me with the story of grief, coming out of it, and finding new love interests. Yes, this story has been told many times, but not all books about it touch me and pull me in like this one did. I wanted to know what direction Anna would go, and the book maintained the tension that led me to stay up late finishing it when I had about 30 pages to go.
Read it! Enjoy it!
I was fascinated by the detailed reviews posted by other readers and many of their comments made sense. For me, the book was worth reading because it touched me with the story of grief, coming out of it, and finding new love interests. Yes, this story has been told many times, but not all books about it touch me and pull me in like this one did. I wanted to know what direction Anna would go, and the book maintained the tension that led me to stay up late finishing it when I had about 30 pages to go.
Read it! Enjoy it!
March 29, 2013
Read my full review: http://bit.ly/YkqpJp
My rating: 3.5 Stars ( 4 stars on Amazon/Goodreads)
My opinion: I must admit that there was something about this book that I really found I liked. Was it kind of predictable? Yes. Was there a feeling that there are tons of books out there just like this one? Yes. However, I found myself really getting into Anna's story and cheering for her. I think one of the things that stood out to me was Anna's determination of recognizing her true self even during the most painful of times. I felt like I could relate, so that is what brought me most into the story versus anything else in the story or the writing style of the author.
My rating: 3.5 Stars ( 4 stars on Amazon/Goodreads)
My opinion: I must admit that there was something about this book that I really found I liked. Was it kind of predictable? Yes. Was there a feeling that there are tons of books out there just like this one? Yes. However, I found myself really getting into Anna's story and cheering for her. I think one of the things that stood out to me was Anna's determination of recognizing her true self even during the most painful of times. I felt like I could relate, so that is what brought me most into the story versus anything else in the story or the writing style of the author.
February 23, 2013
The way the author tells her character's story is the strength of this book. I was immediately engaged; that is impressive as Anna & I are close in age, dealing loo and educators. I usually "run from" things that resemble the angst of his part of life. But Anna's angst motives intellectually curiosity. There are cliches; Anna's the twists and turns of Anna's love interest, secrets revealed about her deceased husband may seem far-fetched, but the subtext of WWII cold have made this seeming flights of plot connect. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author.
April 12, 2013
Anna's life is falling apart. And slowly, she finds a way to remake herself - or to reveal her true self under the veneer from years of polishing for the public. I have met Koru...and he was fun to watch thru the story. This one started slow for me. I just didn't connect with the main character's way of floating rather unintentionally through the movie of her life. She takes control about halfway through the book and the story moves along nicely from there.
November 12, 2012
Turtle Season is a beautifully written novel that captivates the reader from the very beginning. I quickly became engrossed in Anna's roller coaster journey of self-discovery. The book is engaging and gives insight into characters and life experiences that I have not found in other fictional literature. I highly recommend it!
April 23, 2013
Turtle Season is a great book! Set in Seattle, Turtle Season is the story of a woman's journey to discover her true identity. This is a very well written, sympathetic read with great character development. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
I won this as a Goodreads First read. Thank you!
I won this as a Goodreads First read. Thank you!
June 3, 2015
Great first novel. Compelling story. Page turner. Author has in depth knowledge of Seattle/northwest and she's excellent at creating likable characters. I felt the emotions of the two women as they fell in love. Highly recommend.
March 18, 2013
I'd give this a 4.5, actually. I liked the richness of sensuous detail and the emotional complexity of the main character, who moves gradually, sometimes painfully, toward authenticity out of the collapse of an inauthentic life.
June 7, 2015
There was a lot going on in this story and it only scratched the surface of several really difficult life situations: death of a spouse, menopause, falling in love with a person of the same sex, moving on, etc. Even though the book moved slowly in some places, overall it was a good story.
June 25, 2015
Well written, fast paced read.
It's a book you can feel. You experience the story with Anna.
Recommend.
It's a book you can feel. You experience the story with Anna.
Recommend.
December 2, 2012
Won here on goodreads - First Reads Advanced Copy!
Absolutely Incredible!
Absolutely Incredible!
December 30, 2012
I LIKED THE BOOK VERY MUCH AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE BOOKS BASED ON ANNA AND HER LIFE.
March 28, 2013
Miriam is a friend and so I find my fondness for the book blends with my fondness for her. I'm delighted to see so many readers have enjoyed the book, too!
Read
July 1, 2013Widowed straight woman discovers she's a lesbian. What could have been a powerful story line - an emotional journey to self-discovery - was weakened by flat and insipid characterization.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews