Book Review

Bridge of Sighs
Richard Russo
2007, Alfred Knoph
pub., 528 pgs

Richard Russo has written many books in many genres– fiction, essays, a memoir, short stories–but since Empire Falls won the Pulitzer Prize in 2002, his name and reputation have been in a bit of a shadow, as younger writers have risen to occupy the limelight. Bridge of Sighs is not new; in fact, it’s nearly 20 years old, but it is not out of date. Its themes, handled subtly, include violence, alcohol and drug addiction, adultery, gang-related issues, bullying, racism, poverty. There is very little direct reference to some of them, and often the reader senses from delicate clues that there is something going on behind the scenes. In that way great suspense is built, something only an experienced, gifted writer can manage.

The complex plot centers around a boy named Louis Lynch, nicknamed Lucy, to his chagrin. As a child he is shy, timid, quiet; he is cruelly bullied in an incident that haunts him for a lifetime. Along the way he makes a friend of another youngster named Bobby Marconi, who supports and protects him for a period, until Bobby is sent away to boarding school. Louis makes his uncertain way through middle school, a good student, but one without much confidence. His father, Big Lou, a jolly optimistic but often unrealistic sort of person, buys a failing convenience store; the family members coalesce into a team to make the place successful. In high school Louis meets Sarah, the love of his life. Her family situation is pretty miserable, and she falls in love not only with Louis, but also with his family and with the store. Sarah is a talented artist, and a young woman with a winning personality; everyone she meets loves her immediately. Ultimately the two marry, but not before Bobby Marconi returns to Empire Falls with an urgent need to win Sarah over, to betray his best friend and have Sarah for himself. In the end, after an act of retribution toward his father, the Lynches help Bobby escape the results of his action, and from there he makes his way to Italy, where he discovers his true passion: painting. He becomes an artistic and commercial success, accompanied by succession of wives.

In the meantime, Sarah and Louis take over the management of the store, acquire additional stores, move to an upscale neighborhood, and have a son who also becomes involved in the family business. Sarah, however, has never forgotten Bobby, so
a trip to Italy is planned so that they can see him again. The trip does not materialize, but while Sarah is in New York she finds him at a gallery where his best work is being auctioned; it is a painting of her as a young woman, demonstrating that he has kept her in his mind and heart through all the years.

In a sense the plot is about the struggle between safety, security, following the rules, doing the right thing–and willingness to take risks and live life to its fullest, incurring pain along the way and causing others pain as well. Bobby and Louis are extreme examples of each style; other characters fall somewhere in between. There are no clear answers here, although in the end Louis seems to be the winner. The prose is outstanding and the pace of action rapid. The dialogue is extraordinarily skillful.

Despite the length of the book, it is not a difficult read; it moves through an entire lifetime but never bores the reader. There are moments when things are a little confusing, but that is a deliberate stylistic trait of the writer: he does not want life in the book to run along smoothly, hence the hints that pop up from time to time, foreshadowing future events in the lives of the characters. This may not be the Great American Novel, but it is certainly a very good one, and one well worth reading.