The Darren Effect

by Libby Creelman

An affair. A marriage. Accidental encounters. A secret spying mission masquerading as research for a short story on desire. This is the rich ground from which The Darren Effect springs, carrying us through the complexities, tragedies, and unanticipated triumphs of love and loss. The Darren Effect is a miraculous novel, in which the characters coalesce and crisscross in awkward, surprising, and hilarious ways. Damaged by grief and circumstance, Heather, Isabella, Darren, and Benny offer each other heartbreak, love, and redemption at a time when all previous points of reference have vanished.

258 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2008

About the author

Libby Creelman is the author of Walking in Paradise, a collection of short stories, and two novels: The Darren Effect and Split. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best Canadian Stories and two editions of the Journey Prize Anthology.

Libby has a B.A. from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and an M.Sc. and B.Ed. from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She lives and works in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an unexpected pleasure in finding Libby Creelman’s -The Darren Effect. My brother, I., got it for me for Christmas in a stack of other books - 20 odd or so (I think I may have blogged about the stack already as I’ve slowly been making my way through his selections). In any event, the whole stack has its own shelf and so this time, without reading the back or deliberating on a title, I randomly stuck out my arm and picked a book. And boy was my intuitive snatch rewarded. -The Darren Effect- is smart, funny, challenging, engaging and altogether too unknown for this reader to be satisfied.

The book is set in Newfoundland, follows a small network of people as they navigate falling in love, falling into depression, dying, forgiveness and regret. The shifting third person limited narrators - but usually Heather - are open, honest and uncomfortably familiar. A small town heartbreak, a family drama, but without the kinds of cliches you’d expect and without the saccharine writing you’d find annoying. Just simple, sweet, beautiful and totally engulfing. I read the whole thing on the flight from Vancouver to Montreal and am feeling the delicious hangover of a well-spent read.

Recommend! And recommend it to someone you know. I’m a little embarassed that this hasn’t been on my Can Lit radar, but then maybe I’m also just glad to have been so pleasantly surprised. (Thanks, I.)

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The complexities of the character's relationships kept me on my toes. Though I can't relate to affairs and I don't really understand how people can be so ... not loyal... but this affair just kept the story going. I wanted to know exactly what Isabella knew about it, and what she did. I have to say that I'm surprised that she didn't come out with it. I'm not entirely sure whether I think she's strong or too weak to handle it. As for Heather, well I pity her for losing a man she loved. But that's the extent of what I felt for her in the book. In fact, I was kind of disappointed in the ending. But I rather not spoil it for others.
Despite my different opinions of the characters, Creelman's style of writing is detailed and entertaining. The pages just kept flipping as I was entranced by the affair and the people who are all connected to it. Her characters are well-written and believable. I could even believe that maybe Isabella and Connor live down the street.

[Gossymotto · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had promise in the beginning. It had me hooked. I found the writing to be a little scattered and hard to follow at the start but I have read plenty of books like that and it can add to the anticipation of what's to come. You just read on and eventually things start to fall in to place and it becomes a rewarding experience. This book did not do that for me. It just continues to read like fragments of someone's thoughts and still, I hoped for something special at the end but it just never materialized. I'm sorry to say, this was one boo I was happy to finally be done.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Darren Effect is a subtle, assured, stunningly effective novel. Populating her book with oddball characters who find themselves emotionally adrift and struggling with loss and loneliness, Libby Creelman shows us how life can evolve in ways we don't expect and hardly dare to hope. This is literary fiction but it will appeal to casual readers attracted to stories of emotional resiliance. Highly recommended.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Creelman tries to make an interesting story - but with her scattered focus jumping around to so many characters, the plot loses its direction. Also, her writing fails to provide necessary details about the characters' inner thoughts, and as a result they all come across as one-dimensional people lacking depth. Perhaps Creelman is trying to follow the "show, don't tell" rule, but she doesn't show enough to be effective.

[Ann Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing and ambitious book featuring multiple characters and multiple points of view.