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Charles Baxter, Saul and Patsy

reviewed by Cynthia Brandon

With such relatable characters, genuine introspections, and vivid prose, the only thing left to do after putting Baxter's book down, is to thank those who fought for its reincarnation. What is true fiction? Is there such a thing? How can there be when the definition of fiction is something that has been invented, something artificial? In Saul and Patsy, Charles Baxter manages to portray a couple—and a community—that is more real than many discussed in newspapers. Despite its fictitious birth, Saul and Patsy grew into fact because it is able to generate concrete thoughts, uncertainties, and reactions—those that many people would be uncomfortable to reveal. Wrapped up in this fascinating tale of a developing marriage, are convincing events and characters that introduce challenging ideas of guilt, jealousy, and self-worth.

The plot consists of a married man, who despite his mother's strong advice against doing so, moves him and his wife to a small Michigan town—a town that his opinionated and materialistic mother vows will only waste his potential. While unconventional, the blissful couple discovers a form of living where their college degrees are used only to acquire inferior employment. Saul obtains an unfulfilling teaching job, while his pleasant wife, Patsy, easily adjusts and takes on employment at a local bank. For this ostensibly perfect couple, the adjustments they are forced to make prove to be quite interesting. Despite their isolation from city life, and most family, they experience multiple complex incidents which lead to dramatic shifts in their initially faultless relationship.

When Saul and Patsy's tale was first composed, two decades ago, their story ended in death. With twenty years passed, Baxter had realized there was much more of this fascinating pair to be disclosed. Baxter remembers one reader's reaction to their deaths, "Several readers protested; one did so in public, physically grabbing my lapel." Thus, obeying the demands of his readers, Baxter gave his characters life again. In the second attempt at this story, instead of dying in a car crash, Saul and Patsy survived it—something that sat well with many of Baxter's fans. With such relatable characters, interesting introspections, and descriptive writing, the only thing left to do after putting the book down, is to thank those who fought for its reincarnation.

After reading his novel, it was apparent how he had accumulated so many admirers. Identifying with his characters, however strange they may be requires no effort. Without overstating them, Baxter includes concrete examples of realistic feelings. We are able to perceive the character's feelings without being told of them. Jealousy is a great example. When Saul finds himself constantly returning to a new couple's home, it is clear he is envious of their genuine relationship. Later we read "I was always as real as they were, Saul thought. I always was." Baxter confirms our observations with sentences such as this. In this case, implications made are far more powerful than any forthright statement could be.

Along with perfectly capturing his character's feelings, Baxter challenges thoughts of the vast differences between rural and city life. Being from the country, it is easy to empathize with the opinions he displays, but his feelings are so well explained, it seems the absurdities of city life could be made logical to anyone. His combination of comedy and truth create realities understandable to all.

They wore their success on their huge muscular sheet-metal fenders. Darwinian, emotionally Republican even if they were registered Democrats, they had acquired German sedans or American SUV's that looks like staff cars for Rommel, or they had huge spotless V-8 pickup trucks with nothing, ever, in the cargo bed-that would spoil the effect, like a suntan that ended at the shirt collar-and most of them drove with one hand, the other hand on their cell phones relaying news to the home front on how the battle was going.

Here laughing at the image created is unpreventable, but we also grimace at his sadly accurate portrayal of human life. Comments and visuals like this trouble the reader, making it appear as if Baxter has acquired these accurate opinions straight from their own thoughts.

Honesty, a major product of this novel, is one of the main elements that give it purpose. Even when marriage is discussed, there are comments made that most people would never admit: "His joy was manufactured for her benefit--she could instantly tell—but manufactured joy was better than none at all, and she admired his efforts to be glad on her behalf." When Baxter's characters or his own narrative reveal thoughts, they seem real and uncreated. Straightforward comments, like the one above, create an extremely believable couple—no matter how eccentric they may be.

Mostly because it is uncommon, such honesty in Baxter's words lures in readers. Saul and Patsy is not a sentimental romance that ends with one direct, comforting answer; but a process of actions and thoughts that breeds compelling questions within the reader. Hesitant to reduce his works down to symbols, I give Baxter's book a justifiable 5/5 stars. This thoughtful novel quickly generates an addiction, one that will not be cured until the last page is reached.