Principles of Navigation

by Lynn Sloan

In a small town in Indiana, on the cusp of the new millennium, local reporter Alice Becotte wants what should be simple: a baby to fill her heart and complete her family. But Alice’s husband Rolly, a talented sculptor, harbors ambitions that draw him away from a steady teaching gig at a “backwater” college and unravel the couple’s moorings. Principles of Navigation explores Alice and Rolly’s journey through loss, infidelity and heartbreak. When each partner is tested and found wanting, they are forced to find a way to move on, without map or compass, guided only by fragile and fleeting glimpses of grace.

Genres: Fiction

290 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2015

About the author

Lynn Sloan is a writer and photographer. She is the author of the story collection This Far Isn’t Far Enough and the novel Principles of Navigation, which was chosen for Chicago Book Review’s Best Books of 2015. Fortune Cookies, an art book featuring her flash fiction, was produced by Sky Lark Press in 2022. Her short fiction has appeared in Ploughshares, Shenandoah, American Literary Fiction, and included in NPR’s Selected Shorts. She graduated from Northwestern University, earned a master’s degree in photography at The Institute of Design, formerly the New Bauhaus, and exhibited her work nationally and internationally. For many years she taught photography in the MFA program of Columbia College Chicago, where she founded Occasional Readings in Photography and contributed to Afterimage, Art Week, and Exposure before turning to fiction writing. She lives near Chicago and serves on the Board of Directors of the Society of Midland Authors

Reviews

[Tina Gambel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is loneliness an inevitable part of the human condition? In this compelling novel, you will watch shadows chilling the marriage of a couple who have reached the "will we or won't we" stage. Will we and won't we have a child. Will we or won't we pursue our passions. Will we or won't we settle down and stop thinking about what might have been. The writing is beautiful, and I found myself standing with one foot on the dock and the other in the canoe. As the canoe began to float away from shore, I found my center of gravity shift. First, I rooted for the dock to win, with Alice, the female protagonist and her life-dilemma, the ticking clock of deferred maternity. When I entered her husband Rolly's canoe and found myself floating from shore, I rooted for him to paddle hard and stay true to his passion, which was making art and dealing with his underlying suspicion that he was not quite good enough. Neither Alice nor Rolly have all the answers. Alice's desire for a child blinds her to how dangerous it is to pursue a single-minded goal. She's a little bit of a perfectionist. Seemingly, Rolly is a bit of a narcissist, but that's only because the author has allowed us access to Alice's feelings, and we know that every step forward he takes is in direct contradiction to the journey she is attempting to embark upon. Rolly's fear that his life will be stalled in a second-tier academic institution seems as valid as Alice's desire for a child. This is not just a book about a relationship slowly coming apart. It is about how inchoate yearnings and intrinsic loneliness cause us to shift directions, sometimes without thought for the long term consequences. This is a novel for readers who ask the big questions: Why are we here? How will we achieve immortality? Will children satisfy that big itch? How will we settle for the shards of our shattered dreams?

[Jason Pettus · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

Getting the details right of a character-heavy domestic drama is a lot harder than it might seem at first; although by definition this genre is marked by storylines "that could happen to anybody," the author still has to make those particular people going through it this time unique and compelling on their own, bring something new to the subject of divorce or addiction or at-risk teens that makes us glad that we took the time to read that particular book. And unfortunately Lynn Sloan's Principles of Navigation is not up to the task, a novel that's certainly not badly done in terms of the actual mechanics of putting a story together, but that really obsessively follows several of the standard tropes of the domestic drama exactly (they're trying to get pregnant, he's having an affair, everyone is quietly miserable, etc etc) without bringing any new insights or even compelling reasons to follow along with this particular couple going through the problems this particular time. Another good example of a type of book CCLaP is getting sent on an increasing basis -- a novel that is just not-terrible enough to justify its existence on the forgotten back shelves of Amazon, but that doesn't bring even a single new thing to the hundreds of years and millions of titles of the literary industry it's entering -- this gets an A for effort but a D for originality, averaged out to the so-so score it's receiving today.

Out of 10: 7.1

[Jaclyn Eccesso · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of love, hatred, selfishness, faith and most importantly, the dualities bound up in being human, Lynn Sloan’s captivating first novel Principles of Navigation is a psychologically tormenting exploration of the human condition. Alice Becotte wants a child more than, and at the cost of, anything else in her life or anyone else’s. Her husband, Rolly, an artist and university professor at a local Indiana college, is much more concerned with creating art and living by the ways of passion than he is with having children or settling into a traditional idea of family life.

At first, the novel focuses primarily on the struggles of Alice and Rolly’s marriage as well as the difficulties bound up in their seemingly incompatible relationship and tumultuous love for one another. However, as it progresses, Sloan veers readers off their perceived course toward plot bumps of infidelity, loss and more internal struggles.

At fundamental odds with one another, Alice and Rolly vacillate between affection, annoyance, and adoration for one another – as will you, the reader. Throughout the book, you will both love and hate each character a hundred times over and more. Sloan threatens to break readers to pity, to disdain and to compassion as each character showcases the spectrum of his or her duality. Nobody is a reliable narrator, and (or perhaps because) nobody is a static character. This is what makes Sloan’s novel so fascinating and gripping. Just as in life, no one person is the protagonist or antagonist – each character becomes another’s antagonist, or their own, as they navigate the waters of life’s imperfections and unfairness, as well as the consequences of their own actions.

There is nothing about Principles of Navigation that segregates it to one particular genre, nor does it target one group of readers. The book raises questions that are essential to every reader’s life: questions of humanity, love and growing older. Questions that will propel you from page one to the end of the novel without a backward glance as you are ripped through the pages of Alice and Rolly’s tumultuous lives.

Sloan, already a success in the field of short story writing and photography has broken into the novel industry with a strength and vivacity that will be sure to propel her into the ranks of great American novelists. Published by Fomite Press, Principles of Navigation is scheduled to be released February 15, 2015.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice and Rolly Becotte are young professionals, married and living in the Midwest where they'd moved after college for Rolly's job. He is an art professor at the local college while working on his sculpture on the side. She is a reporter on a small local paper which means she covers farm news, local festivals and events and everything else that comes along.

Rolly is about to break out in his career and is very focused on his work. He has a show lined up and his sabbatical will take them to Norway for a year. Alice is focused not on her career but on her dream of having a family. More than anything, she wants to be pregnant with their first baby.

As the months roll by, the difference in focus and motivation starts to create fissures in their relationship. Rolly feels that Alice is tying him down and sees a family as the beginning of the end of his artistic vision and work. Alice resents Rolly for not wanting what she does and not being willing to commit to a family. Soon each is caught up in strategies to get what they want and the anger and resentment start to crack the solidness of their marriage.

Lynn Sloan has written a hauntingly beautiful tale of what happens to relationships even when both parties are in love but the pair are not focused on the same goals. The reader is caught between the two protagonists, able to see each's point of view and heartsick at the choices they make as time rolls on. This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction as well as women's literature and anyone interested in marriage and what makes it succeed or fail.

[Walli F. Leff · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Principles of Navigation the husband and wife in a once-loving relationship both believe that satisfying their most profoundly held need will bring about fulfillment in life. The problem is, they don’t share the same need. What’s more, unlike many other couples in that situation, they don’t try to strengthen the fabric of their marriage by embracing each other’s heart’s desire. Instead, they succumb to intransigence and selfishness and spin off into parallel cocoons. The marriage falls apart.

With talent and assurance, Lynn Sloan navigates the shoals of the painful dissolution of their union by trolling through both partners’ maddening lack of insight, the erosion of their compassion, and more. Her vivid descriptions of place and unflinching, authentic expressions of spontaneous, raw feeling draw the reader in. The plotting is deft; you do not get ahead of her.

As the couple rides out their break-up it looks as though there’ll never be anything left between them but a sour, angry mix of recriminations and ill will. Then, a sudden surprise. They arrive at a safe harbor, find self-strength they lack, and relinquish wielding those all-important needs of theirs as weapons. The readers who accompany Lynn Sloan on her very human literary journey have an unexpected and satisfying reward in store—an end-point that is an honest, hard-earned affirmation of life.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Alice Hoffman will appreciate this book. The narrative covers many topics - infertility, faith, marriage, grief, art, even Vikings - but it isn't really about any of them. It's about navigating your own path and finding your truth. The father is conflicted by the paradox of parenting: "What fatherhood meant was giving your child whatever was required and shepherding your child toward an independent life. You would want for your child the very thing you had given up for him." The mother seems to want a baby, but she actually wants something more as well, a life of her own, and this becomes clear to her through the course of the book. I struggled with her character - at first I identified with her but towards the end I kind of hated her, because, well, she was being hateful. But that's also the point - to find your own path, you have to stop pleasing everybody and work on pleasing yourself. An excellent book, the only thing I didn't like was the cover - I don't understand the photo and it wouldn't inspire me to pick it up in a bookstore. I'm glad therefore that I won this book on Goodreads!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you imagine wanting to have a baby so desperately that you risk your marriage and everything else that's important to you in your life to have one? I really can't envision this yet "Principles of Navigation" is primarily based on this premise. This book by Lynn Sloan is told in exquisitely written prose in alternating points of view, first Alice's and then Rolly's. Alice writes for a small town newspaper in Indiana while Rolly is a prominent artist and professor at the local university. All the other characters in the book are drawn with a fine brush. Reading about them, I understood them all both what they were feeling and where they were coming from. Ironically, the only character that I had difficulty relating to was Alice. Sometimes I had difficulty with her desperation to have a baby and her unrelenting anger. Otherwise, I would have given the book five stars. I recommend that you read it yourself and see what you think about it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sucked me in completely because it just refused to be any of the books I thought it would be at any given moment, if that makes sense. It starts out looking like a domestic drama, but it isn't entirely that—there's a lot about making art and being the artist half of a couple, and about behaving badly in a relationship in not quite warranted ways that will still feel familiar to anyone who's ever gone through a time of feeling squashed or slighted by a partner, but not acted on it quite as dramatically as the protagonist here. It's dark, but not grim. Mostly very surprising, and the writing was good, and it kept my interest all the way through, so thumbs up on that count (even though it's one of those books where it's really difficult to find a likeable narrator).

[Jan English Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynn Sloan’s debut novel, Principles of Navigation, is an unflinchingly honest portrait of a difficult marriage between two people who find they need different things from life. Alice wants a child, and Rolly is an ambitious artist who finds himself pulled more toward career than family. Add fertility and fidelity struggles, and their relationship is pushed to the limit. They try to make sense of their lives, and the results illuminate and surprise all the way to the end. In addition to psychological insights, Sloan, a visual artist herself, shows a remarkable sensitivity to visual details. The novel is a stunning achievement whose power lingers after the last page.

[Thomas Benz · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Principles of Navigation" offers a fascinating psychological portrait of the often inevitable conflicts of marriage; where to live, whose career will take precedence over the other, what friendships can be maintained, and if and when to start a family. In the 21st century, the needs and desires of husband and wife often collide and Sloan's book bears witness to those struggles which tear so many relationships apart. She does it with grace and economy and a deft sense for the telling detail. She also paints a convincing picture of small town university life and the powerful attraction of pursuing a dream, whatever the cost.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading Lynn Sloan's debut novel, Principles of Navigation, published by Fomite. http://www.lynnsloan.com. How does a couple steer a joint path when one partner wants career advancement in art first and foremost and the other wants, just as badly, a baby? Sloan's daring, like life, brings new challenges at every turn of the page. She hoists us up and drops us down on her roller coaster of events, none of which we can anticipate. Her characters, round and real as our neighbors, find a unique solution to the marriage of parenting and art.

[Liz Chilsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynn Sloan writes with an intensity and grace borne of deep understanding and generous insight. This is a wonderfully engaging and satisfying book. The descriptions are so keen. I truly felt these places. Alice’s newspaper, Rolly’s studio, the café, cornfields outside of town in late autumn cold. Vivid. A book of wisdom and wit, beauty and observation, small moments and telling descriptions. These characters will annoy you and challenge you. They will ask you to love and care for them; and you will.

[Linda Laatsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, sensitive book about a marriage having difficulties. The characters are unique but also similar to ourselves so you are able to relate to their trials in the early part of their marriage. Very enjoyable read and it will be a good discussion book for our book group.

[NormaCenva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed my journey with this book, it's whiting and it's themes. I like it's style and the cover art is nicely done. It would be interesting to read something else by the same author now too.

[Ann Bartholomew]

The author writes beautifully. The story is unpredictable, and very well told.

[RC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a well written and powerful tale that had some thoughtful characters. I like the way the story twisted and turned and came to its conclusion.

[Lois Barliant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynn Sloan’s Principles of Navigation begins, “’We are perfect here, aren’t we?’ That’s what Rolly had said not so long ago.” Two things click: it isn’t now and perfect is never perfect. On the first page, you learn it’s a picture of their wedding day, that he’s an artist, and the picture is crowded by the bulge of a powder-blue hip, a no longer identifiable guest. One delight of reading this novel are the discoveries of all the ways “principles of navigation,” and being aware of how they apply, relates to all the characters throughout the narrative. Rolly, the artist, and Alice, a small town newspaper reporter, keep running into shoals in the opening pages whenever they interact. The best intentions run them aground, but like the photograph at the beginning, some of the opening images will reverberate throughout the telling as a reader might predict, but always with the surprise that delights, right for the narrative but unexpected. No one reads the story of happy couples, but a tale of couples who strive for happiness, even in the challenging moments of conception, pregnancy, and infant care grips the reader. The struggles of artists to be true to what drove them to art initially and reporters to publish the news worth reading. But these struggles add a dimension of ambition and self-awareness that keeps the reader turning the page. The novel’s portrayal of the reporter and artist at work rivals the descriptions of the work itself. Sloan creates beautifully detailed images of the characters: neighbors, staff at the newspaper, family members, colleagues at the college where Rolly teaches, and especially effective descriptions of Rolly’s art and the Viking ships that fascinate him while on sabbatical.
Despite the commendation of his art, Rolly questions its validity. Alice, the reporter, has challenges over and above her obsession of having a baby. Can she be objective in an investigation entices her to a subjective belief? Once again, the details of her adventure are convincing and worth savoring.
Every pregnancy might be seen of as a navigation, but steering this novel toward the birth of a child is an adventure not to be forgotten. The mother/daughter relationship is revealed elliptically in the timing of their conversations and in thoughts that interrupt the dialogue. “The waitress smiled patiently, and Alice wondered what it would be like to be a waitress, not here, but somewhere far away, a waitress in a diner where the daily special would be meatloaf and mashed with a side of canned green beans… She imagined herself swabbing a rag across a luncheonette counter… as far away from Haslett as you could get, where she would live alone, above a bus depot, where no buses ever came.” One of many extended moments that a reader wants to go on until that bus finally does come. A book to savor with characters who strike at those they love but rise to their better selves before the book ends with another photo, one where everyone is identified.

[djt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a fan of literary fiction, I read this book with the anticipation of being able to follow a story line in the life of the MC and I wasn't disappointed. The story kept me very interested in "what's going to happen" and it was presented with a very interesting third person omniscient POV that allowed the reader to understand the actions and motivations of the MC and others. The writing was really nice because it would fall into a more prosaic tone from time-to-time, which is also something I enjoy. It is a story that many people can relate to in their own day-to-day and many others can look at with sympathy and understand the pain of this couple, even if not having experienced similar events. This is always something really good to come across, when the author is able to capture in their words the emotions of their characters, and Lynn Sloan, I think, did a great job on this. I thought it was a good read; especially since it's a first novel.

[Marie-Pier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book via the First Read Giveaways of Goodreads.

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. I found that something was missing in the book to stand out from all the others book of the same style. Also, I wasn't able to rely on the characters.

But I can't take away that Lynn Sloan is writing beautifully and it was a pleasure to read it even if the story didn't hook me up.