Book Review
A dad adrift in the storm of divorce

By Skye K. Moody
Special to The Seattle Times

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In a lopsided Solomonic split, Jude, a self-avowed feminist, has taken the house, the children, the savings accounts and half of everything Cy earns.

And she's taken more: a lover, Lill, who moves into the family home with Jude and the children, sparking painful rebellion in the children and bigoted reactionary reflexes from neighbors, social workers and even family.

A bewildered Cy attends a men's group and wrestles with the unacceptable reality: He cannot be a good parent when seeing his children only four days each month. As the children's escalating rebellions force his hand, Cy halfheartedly heeds his parasitical hippie brother's unsolicited advice: Fight for custody of the children.

Author appearance John E. Keegan will read from "A Good Divorce," 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Elliott Bay Book Co., 101 S. Main St., Seattle; free (206-624-6600).

A poignant novel told in memoir form, "A Good Divorce" by Seattle attorney John E. Keegan (The Permanent Press, $26) is gently rendered, often bittersweet, ringing so true to life that the reader is liable to forget this is supposed to be a work of fiction. Perhaps it isn't; anyone who has struggled through divorce and child custody battles will surely identify with much of this finely crafted tale. And the novel's surprise element, the lover at the center of this family's rupture, will surely resonate with today's "blended family" culture.

One critical element seemed missing in addressing this familiar theme of marital discord and dissolution: While Cyrus and Jude's children find numerous, often destructive outlets for venting rage at their parents' split, in contrast, the three adults, Cyrus, Jude and Lill, seem for the most part dispassionate and emotionally congested.

Maybe they were, but Cyrus' one moment of palpable fury, speeding north to the Canadian border in a fog of margaritas and rum-soaked cigars, came early in the story, leaving the impression of more scenes like this to come. They didn't, and even this single example of adult rage was tempered by his keeping to within 5 or 10 miles of the speed limit.

Still, emotional venting isn't the only effective dramatic device, and Keegan has artfully depicted a shy, compassionate father navigating personal trauma in a culturally chaotic era. Good and gentle spouses will relate to Cy Stapleton, and other types might be inspired.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company