Anne Tyler
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler unfolds in the first-person voice of Gail Baines, a middle-aged divorced woman whose daughter is getting married. Day 1 is the day before the wedding of her daughter, Debbie. Day 2 is the day of the wedding. And day 3 is the day after.
On day 1, Gail learns that even though she is the second in command at a high school, she will not be promoted to replace the retiring headmistress due to her lack of people skills. Furthermore, the new headmistress is bringing with her an assistant, so Gail’s services will no longer be needed in that capacity. She marches home in an angry huff. To her surprise, her ex-husband, Max, shows up at her doorstep with a cat. He is there for their daughter’s wedding. He has to stay with Gail because their future son-in-law is allergic to cats. And so begins the next three days when Gail and Max get reacquainted.
Theirs is a study in contrasts. Gail is uptight, aloof, self-conscious, organized to a fault, awkward with small talk, and blurts her opinions with little consideration for other’ feelings. Max is loving, compassionate, comfortable in his own skin, forgiving, and kind. Gail distances herself from others; he connects with others. Gail is both drawn to Max’s easy-going style and irritated by it.
The presence of her ex-husband and her daughter’s upcoming marriage serve as the catalysts for Gail to re-evaluate her past, her marriage, and her divorce. Details of the past are woven into her narrative as flashbacks. Max helps Gail navigate the stressful three days and reins her in when she tries to interfere in their daughter’s decisions. Their opposite styles balance each other out.
Tyler’s characters are authentic and handled with empathy and sensitivity. They are vividly portrayed and so believable they could be stepping off the page. Gail is plagued with guilt for her past transgression, and Max is forgiving and has a generosity of spirit that makes him thoroughly endearing. They seem to complement one another so well that we want them to reconcile. Fortunately, and to our satisfaction, the closing pages of the novel suggest a reconciliation seems to be in the offing.
An easy, quick, and enjoyable read.