Girly is a sometimes dark, often unsettling novel that tackles sexuality, religion, secrecy and familial roles as experienced by three generations of the Hart family, particularly its females. The novel begins by following Racinda and Ruth, two sisters growing up in rural Pennsylvania to a troubled and frail mother, Amandine, and her brassy, take-charge mother-in-law, Button. Ruth is the elder sister. Beautiful, exciting and deeply disturbed, she is the vitality and the violence that courses through the family’s veins. Her presence and, eventually, her absence define those around her.

Ruth’s younger sister Racinda grows up cautious and quiet, anticipating her sister’s moves and getting out of the way when possible. Despite her constant fear, when Racinda is left without Ruth, she loses her bearings. She flails about, filling her world with surrogate sisters and misguided relationships.

The girls are brought up in fits and spurts by Amandine and Button (there’s a father in the picture, but not for long). The two clash over how to raise the girls, especially the troubled and troublesome Ruth. Button is rough but loving, rearing the girls in a no-nonsense manner. Amandine, on the other hand, is wobbly on her maternal legs and wants to be a better mother than she often is. The girls are disgusted by what they perceive as their mother’s weakness and her adherence to a fundamentalist Christianity they reject. Still, Amandine is a survivor, her tenacity undeniable though often overlooked.

Even Button, seemingly a tower of strength, has her own history of loss and sadness. She’s a survivor – of a fickle lover, of the horrors of war experienced firsthand, of life on her own in a big city, of a disabling stroke. Her strength is hard won.

Strength is central to the novel. And Merrick has crafted intriguing characters whose ability to persevere is compelling even when they aren’t necessarily doing nice things. The story is told through seven narrators, each with a distinct voice. But the most incisive writing belongs to Racinda’s lengthy narrative. Her perspective is raw and painful in its neediness.

Girly is Merrick’s first novel and it’s no light fare. It’s a novel of substance. It stays with you. And it bodes great things for readers who like a little meat on their literary bones.

Girly
by Elizabeth Merrick
524 pages
Demimonde Books

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