June Books 18) Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson
We walked through town. Sylvie fixed her gaze six inches above eye level, but in fact no one stared, though many people glanced at us, and then glanced a second time. At the drugstore we passed Lucille and her friends, though Sylvie seemed not to notice. Lucille was dressed like all the others in a sweatshirt and sneakers and rolled-up jeans, and she looked after us, her hands stuck in her hip pockets.
This had been recommended to me here and here, so thanks to punktortoise, bibliofile and altariel, though of course it also pops up on various Lists Of Great Books. It's a rather subversive feminist novel about a household who dare to be different in a small Idaho town; The narrator's eccentric aunt becomes her adoptive mother, and they determinedly find their own way outside the social norms. There is a very memorable lake. Much is told with few words.
This had been recommended to me here and here, so thanks to punktortoise, bibliofile and altariel, though of course it also pops up on various Lists Of Great Books. It's a rather subversive feminist novel about a household who dare to be different in a small Idaho town; The narrator's eccentric aunt becomes her adoptive mother, and they determinedly find their own way outside the social norms. There is a very memorable lake. Much is told with few words.