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    The Book of Love

    by Link, Kelly
    Set in the coastal town of Lovesend, Massachusetts, Kelly Link’s “The Book of Love” follows three teenagers who mysteriously return from the dead. They must navigate magical challenges to secure their continued existence. The novel explores themes of love in its many forms—romantic, familial, and platonic—alongside grief, identity, and resilience, blending magical realism with coming-of-age drama.
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    The Book of Love

    The Book of Laura 7

    by Link, Kelly

    Daniel and Lau­ra set out to vis­it Mo’s house, a large res­i­dence on a qui­et street marked by expan­sive lawns and prox­im­i­ty to a notable cliff fall. Pass­ing the omi­nous­ly dark Cliff Hangar, they sense the lin­ger­ing unease from recent events. Their arrival at Mo’s home intro­duces Rosamel Walk­er, a strik­ing fig­ure whose shaved head cap­ti­vates Lau­ra. The con­ver­sa­tion shifts to local news: a tiger sight­ing near the hik­ing trails and the dis­ap­pear­ance of the Cliff Hangar’s own­er and cook. Rosamel men­tions a com­mu­ni­ty event to sup­port the cook’s fam­i­ly, hint­ing at the town’s inter­twined per­son­al and com­mu­nal strug­gles.

    Inside Mo’s house, Lau­ra is enveloped by a warm atmos­phere filled with com­fort­ing scents and rich sym­bol­ism. The foyer’s intri­cate wood inlay and the walls adorned with images of Black men and women cre­ate a space that is both beau­ti­ful and mean­ing­ful. A mys­te­ri­ous sign above a door­way reads “EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE HAD THE FOLLOWING EVENTS NOT OCCURRED,” sug­gest­ing a deep­er nar­ra­tive or inside ref­er­ence. Jen­ny, Mo’s assis­tant, guides them through the home, reveal­ing a library, bed­rooms, and a music stu­dio, under­scor­ing the cre­ative and intel­lec­tu­al envi­ron­ment Mo inhab­its.

    The stained-glass win­dow above the stair­case is a focal point, depict­ing Black Adam and Eve with a ser­pent as a gold­en coin of light, sur­round­ed by oth­er Black faces. This art­work, craft­ed by a stu­dent of Alma Thomas, reflects cul­tur­al pride and artis­tic depth with­in the home. Jenny’s casu­al offer of food and her famil­iar­i­ty with Mo’s life in Ire­land add lay­ers to the sto­ry, high­light­ing con­nec­tions that extend beyond the phys­i­cal space. The men­tion of Cara, Mo’s moth­er, ties per­son­al his­to­ry to the present, enrich­ing the nar­ra­tive with fam­i­ly lega­cy.

    Laura’s mem­o­ries of read­ing the first Laven­der Glass book at age twelve sur­face, reveal­ing her ear­ly fas­ci­na­tion with Mo’s work despite skip­ping the more adult con­tent. The chap­ter cap­tures Laura’s admi­ra­tion and emo­tion­al con­nec­tion to Mo’s lit­er­ary world, blend­ing youth­ful dis­cov­ery with the com­plex­i­ty of adult rela­tion­ships and com­mu­ni­ty ties. This blend of per­son­al his­to­ry, local mys­tery, and cul­tur­al sig­nif­i­cance sets the tone for a sto­ry deeply root­ed in place, iden­ti­ty, and the inter­twin­ing of past and present.

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    FAQs

    • 1. How do Daniel and Laura’s perceptions of Mo’s house and neighborhood reflect their understanding of Mo’s life and character?

      Answer:
      Daniel and Laura notice that Mo’s house is the largest on the street with the longest lawn, indicating Mo’s relative wealth or status. The neighborhood’s progression to bigger houses and longer lawns as they approach Mo’s street suggests a more affluent area. Despite this, neither has been inside Mo’s house, showing a distance or unfamiliarity with his private life. Laura’s detailed observations—the beauty of the house, the smell of cinnamon and pine, and the carefully decorated interior—highlight her admiration and idealization of Mo, the author of her favorite books. These perceptions reveal their respect for Mo but also their outsider status in his personal world.

      2. What is the significance of the stained glass window depicting Adam and Eve as Black figures with a golden serpent, and how does it contribute to the chapter’s themes?

      Answer:
      The stained glass window showing Adam and Eve as Black figures with a golden serpent symbolizes a reclamation and reinterpretation of traditional biblical imagery, centering Black identity and experience. The golden coin-like serpent’s head adds a mystical or valuable dimension to the story of temptation and knowledge. This artwork, designed by a student of Alma Thomas (a notable Black artist), emphasizes themes of heritage, cultural pride, and the blending of art with personal and collective history. It enriches the chapter by connecting Mo’s home to deeper cultural narratives and highlighting the importance of representation and legacy in the characters’ lives.

      3. How does the introduction of the tiger sighting and the missing Cliff Hangar owner and cook build tension or foreshadow events in the story?

      Answer:
      The mention of a tiger sighting on a hiking trail near the Cliff Road introduces an element of mystery and danger, suggesting something unusual and possibly threatening has entered the community. The fact that the tiger might have been an escaped pet adds to the sense of unpredictability and chaos. Coupled with the news that the owner and cook of the Cliff Hangar are missing, these details foreshadow potential conflict or crisis that could impact the characters. This builds tension by raising questions about safety, the cause of these incidents, and how they might relate to the characters’ lives or the unfolding plot.

      4. In what ways does Laura’s memory of reading the first Lavender Glass book at age twelve contribute to her character development and understanding of her relationship with Mo’s work?

      Answer:
      Laura’s recollection of finding the first Lavender Glass book at a young age shows a long-standing personal connection to Mo’s writing. Her decision to skip the sexual content and focus on the adventurous and imaginative elements like pirates, castles, and clothing reveals her youthful innocence and selective engagement with literature. This memory highlights her admiration for Mo as an author and the impact his work has had on her imagination and identity. It also underscores a theme of growth and change, as Laura’s understanding of the books and their themes likely deepens with age, mirroring her evolving relationship with Mo and his world.

      5. Analyze the interactions between Laura, Daniel, and Rosamel Walker. What do these exchanges reveal about their relationships and social dynamics?

      Answer:
      The interactions between Laura, Daniel, and Rosamel Walker are marked by casual familiarity mixed with subtle tensions. Rosamel’s shaved head and confident presence command attention, and Laura feels a physical warmth upon seeing her, indicating admiration or attraction. Their conversation about Ohio, cows, and the tiger sighting shows a friendly, if somewhat guarded, social rapport. Rosamel’s teasing about Laura’s hair and the knowing smile suggest inside knowledge or unspoken understanding, hinting at deeper connections or histories. Daniel’s awkwardness and Rosamel’s dismissive “Ignore him” reflect social dynamics where Rosamel holds a certain authority or confidence, while Laura navigates between admiration and self-consciousness. These exchanges reveal layered relationships shaped by respect, curiosity, and unspoken emotions.

    Quotes

    • 1. “He lives here all by himself?” Daniel said.

      “Well, he lived here with his grandmother,” Laura said. “But she’s dead now.”
      “You really liked her books,” Daniel said.
      “I really fucking did,” Laura said.

      This exchange highlights Laura’s deep personal connection to the author whose home they are visiting, establishing the emotional stakes and reverence Laura holds for the literary figure and her legacy.

      2. “Someone got a picture of a tiger on one of the hiking trails this afternoon. Off the Cliff Road. It’s kind of blurry but definitely a tiger. They think maybe somebody was keeping one as a pet and it escaped. There was a news crew in town earlier.”

      This quote introduces an element of mystery and surrealism to the setting, signaling that unexpected and possibly dangerous events are unfolding in the community, creating tension and intrigue.

      3. “Just down the hall in front of them was a doorway with a legend painted in gold above the door: EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE HAD THE FOLLOWING EVENTS NOT OCCURRED.”

      This striking inscription serves as a thematic focal point of the chapter, encapsulating a sense of foreboding and the impact of past events on the present, inviting reflection on causality and consequence.

      4. “Up in a high place, looking out at the sea through a window. Up in a high place, dreaming of Rosamel Walker.”

      This lyrical passage conveys Laura’s imaginative and emotional connection to the author and her world, blending physical space with inner longing and symbolizing aspiration and reverence.

      5. “It was designed by one of Alma Thomas’s students. Library on the first floor, bedrooms on the second, and music on the third. Maryanne thought that was ideal, falling asleep suspended halfway between her books and music.”

      This quote offers insight into Maryanne’s character and values, emphasizing the harmony between literature and music in her life and providing a glimpse into the intimate, thoughtful design of the house that reflects her personality.

    Quotes

    1. “He lives here all by himself?” Daniel said.

    “Well, he lived here with his grandmother,” Laura said. “But she’s dead now.”
    “You really liked her books,” Daniel said.
    “I really fucking did,” Laura said.

    This exchange highlights Laura’s deep personal connection to the author whose home they are visiting, establishing the emotional stakes and reverence Laura holds for the literary figure and her legacy.

    2. “Someone got a picture of a tiger on one of the hiking trails this afternoon. Off the Cliff Road. It’s kind of blurry but definitely a tiger. They think maybe somebody was keeping one as a pet and it escaped. There was a news crew in town earlier.”

    This quote introduces an element of mystery and surrealism to the setting, signaling that unexpected and possibly dangerous events are unfolding in the community, creating tension and intrigue.

    3. “Just down the hall in front of them was a doorway with a legend painted in gold above the door: EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE HAD THE FOLLOWING EVENTS NOT OCCURRED.”

    This striking inscription serves as a thematic focal point of the chapter, encapsulating a sense of foreboding and the impact of past events on the present, inviting reflection on causality and consequence.

    4. “Up in a high place, looking out at the sea through a window. Up in a high place, dreaming of Rosamel Walker.”

    This lyrical passage conveys Laura’s imaginative and emotional connection to the author and her world, blending physical space with inner longing and symbolizing aspiration and reverence.

    5. “It was designed by one of Alma Thomas’s students. Library on the first floor, bedrooms on the second, and music on the third. Maryanne thought that was ideal, falling asleep suspended halfway between her books and music.”

    This quote offers insight into Maryanne’s character and values, emphasizing the harmony between literature and music in her life and providing a glimpse into the intimate, thoughtful design of the house that reflects her personality.

    FAQs

    1. How do Daniel and Laura’s perceptions of Mo’s house and neighborhood reflect their understanding of Mo’s life and character?

    Answer:
    Daniel and Laura notice that Mo’s house is the largest on the street with the longest lawn, indicating Mo’s relative wealth or status. The neighborhood’s progression to bigger houses and longer lawns as they approach Mo’s street suggests a more affluent area. Despite this, neither has been inside Mo’s house, showing a distance or unfamiliarity with his private life. Laura’s detailed observations—the beauty of the house, the smell of cinnamon and pine, and the carefully decorated interior—highlight her admiration and idealization of Mo, the author of her favorite books. These perceptions reveal their respect for Mo but also their outsider status in his personal world.

    2. What is the significance of the stained glass window depicting Adam and Eve as Black figures with a golden serpent, and how does it contribute to the chapter’s themes?

    Answer:
    The stained glass window showing Adam and Eve as Black figures with a golden serpent symbolizes a reclamation and reinterpretation of traditional biblical imagery, centering Black identity and experience. The golden coin-like serpent’s head adds a mystical or valuable dimension to the story of temptation and knowledge. This artwork, designed by a student of Alma Thomas (a notable Black artist), emphasizes themes of heritage, cultural pride, and the blending of art with personal and collective history. It enriches the chapter by connecting Mo’s home to deeper cultural narratives and highlighting the importance of representation and legacy in the characters’ lives.

    3. How does the introduction of the tiger sighting and the missing Cliff Hangar owner and cook build tension or foreshadow events in the story?

    Answer:
    The mention of a tiger sighting on a hiking trail near the Cliff Road introduces an element of mystery and danger, suggesting something unusual and possibly threatening has entered the community. The fact that the tiger might have been an escaped pet adds to the sense of unpredictability and chaos. Coupled with the news that the owner and cook of the Cliff Hangar are missing, these details foreshadow potential conflict or crisis that could impact the characters. This builds tension by raising questions about safety, the cause of these incidents, and how they might relate to the characters’ lives or the unfolding plot.

    4. In what ways does Laura’s memory of reading the first Lavender Glass book at age twelve contribute to her character development and understanding of her relationship with Mo’s work?

    Answer:
    Laura’s recollection of finding the first Lavender Glass book at a young age shows a long-standing personal connection to Mo’s writing. Her decision to skip the sexual content and focus on the adventurous and imaginative elements like pirates, castles, and clothing reveals her youthful innocence and selective engagement with literature. This memory highlights her admiration for Mo as an author and the impact his work has had on her imagination and identity. It also underscores a theme of growth and change, as Laura’s understanding of the books and their themes likely deepens with age, mirroring her evolving relationship with Mo and his world.

    5. Analyze the interactions between Laura, Daniel, and Rosamel Walker. What do these exchanges reveal about their relationships and social dynamics?

    Answer:
    The interactions between Laura, Daniel, and Rosamel Walker are marked by casual familiarity mixed with subtle tensions. Rosamel’s shaved head and confident presence command attention, and Laura feels a physical warmth upon seeing her, indicating admiration or attraction. Their conversation about Ohio, cows, and the tiger sighting shows a friendly, if somewhat guarded, social rapport. Rosamel’s teasing about Laura’s hair and the knowing smile suggest inside knowledge or unspoken understanding, hinting at deeper connections or histories. Daniel’s awkwardness and Rosamel’s dismissive “Ignore him” reflect social dynamics where Rosamel holds a certain authority or confidence, while Laura navigates between admiration and self-consciousness. These exchanges reveal layered relationships shaped by respect, curiosity, and unspoken emotions.

    Note