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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 Susannah 12

    by Link, Kelly

    Susan­nah reflects on her deci­sion to skip karaoke, feel­ing no regret as she prefers soli­tude over forced social per­for­mances. She con­sid­ers the awk­ward­ness of singing with her whole fam­i­ly, recall­ing the ten­sion with her sis­ter Lau­ra, who had recent­ly yelled at her. Susan­nah mus­es on the nature of karaoke, believ­ing that gen­uine emo­tion in per­for­mance out­weighs tech­ni­cal per­fec­tion. This intro­spec­tion reveals her detached mood and dis­com­fort with fam­i­ly dynam­ics, under­scor­ing her pref­er­ence for authen­tic­i­ty and per­son­al space over social expec­ta­tions.

    As Susan­nah lounges alone, she ignores texts from her sis­ter Ruth, respond­ing only with ambigu­ous emo­jis that leave inter­pre­ta­tion open. Mem­o­ries of her child­hood and the ori­gin of her imag­i­nary friend, Bogomil, sur­face, hint­ing at the emo­tion­al impact of her par­ents’ divorce. Despite acknowl­edg­ing how much bet­ter her life seems now, there is an under­cur­rent of unre­solved sad­ness. Her soli­tary din­ner and aim­less TV watch­ing empha­size her iso­la­tion and emo­tion­al dis­tance from those around her.

    The unex­pect­ed arrival of Mr. Anabin with Laura’s for­got­ten gui­tar intro­duces a moment of con­nec­tion amidst Susannah’s soli­tude. His gen­tle sug­ges­tion that Susan­nah keep the gui­tar safe reveals his qui­et con­cern and a sub­tle encour­age­ment for her to care for her­self. Susannah’s grate­ful­ness and plans to repay his kind­ness show her appre­ci­a­tion for this small ges­ture of kind­ness, which con­trasts with her oth­er­wise with­drawn state. The snow and the cold exte­ri­or fur­ther frame this brief human warmth.

    Final­ly, Susan­nah care­ful­ly stores the old gui­tar in the hall clos­et, ten­der­ly tun­ing and singing to it, as if com­fort­ing both the instru­ment and her­self. Her impro­vised song acknowl­edges the guitar’s short­com­ings and the famil­ial changes affect­ing it, sym­bol­iz­ing lin­ger­ing attach­ments and tran­si­tions. The chap­ter clos­es with anoth­er door­bell, sug­gest­ing ongo­ing inter­rup­tions in Susannah’s qui­et world, leav­ing read­ers with a sense of antic­i­pa­tion and unre­solved ten­sion.

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    FAQs

    • 1. Why did Susannah choose not to attend the karaoke event, and what does this reveal about her character and current mood?

      Answer:
      Susannah deliberately avoided the karaoke event because she had no desire to participate, especially not with her sisters Laura and Ruth who would pressure her to sing despite recent tensions, such as Laura yelling at her earlier. She also expresses discomfort with the idea of a full family performance, which she associates with either cheesy country music or an awkward, overly staged scenario. This decision reveals that Susannah is feeling withdrawn, frustrated, and emotionally distant from her family. Her mood is subdued and reflective, preferring solitude over social interaction, highlighting her complex feelings about family dynamics and her own identity.

      2. How does the chapter contrast the nature of karaoke performances with the idea of genuine musical expression?

      Answer:
      The chapter contrasts karaoke as a scene where many people focus on hitting the right notes and replicating the original song perfectly, often through practice and technical precision. However, Susannah reflects that true performance is about conveying a personal point of view and emotional authenticity. She believes it is more powerful to sing with raw emotion—even yelling through a song—than to simply mimic the original flawlessly. This perspective emphasizes that music’s value lies in honest expression rather than technical perfection, underscoring a theme of sincerity versus appearance.

      3. What significance does the guitar returned by Mr. Anabin hold for Susannah, and how does this moment contribute to the chapter’s themes?

      Answer:
      The guitar symbolizes a connection to Susannah’s sister Laura and perhaps to their shared family history and personal struggles. Mr. Anabin’s act of returning the guitar gently suggests care and concern, especially as he advises Susannah to keep it safe and not necessarily tell Laura. This moment highlights themes of caretaking, secrecy, and emotional complexity within familial relationships. Susannah’s tender interaction with the guitar—tuning it and singing a melancholic song—reflects her longing for stability and connection amid familial fragmentation, reinforcing the chapter’s exploration of loss, memory, and the ways objects can carry emotional weight.

      4. Analyze the significance of Susannah’s use of emojis in her text responses to Ruth. What does this communication style suggest about their relationship and Susannah’s emotional state?

      Answer:
      Susannah’s choice to reply to Ruth’s texts with a string of seemingly random emojis (snake, plane, crying face, rainbow, 100) instead of words suggests a complex, perhaps ambivalent emotional state. This nonverbal, symbolic communication indicates that Susannah is not ready or willing to engage in direct conversation, possibly reflecting feelings of detachment, confusion, or emotional overwhelm. It also implies a level of trust or understanding between the sisters, as Susannah expects Ruth to interpret these ambiguous messages in her own way. This mode of communication underscores Susannah’s internal conflict and the nuanced dynamics within her family relationships.

      5. Consider Susannah’s reflection on the name “Bogomil” and her past. How does this insight deepen our understanding of her personal history and emotional growth?

      Answer:
      Susannah’s recollection of the name “Bogomil”—her magical wolf friend from childhood—and its probable connection to her father’s departure after the divorce reveals a poignant aspect of her past marked by sadness and loneliness. This insight contextualizes her current emotional landscape, showing how childhood trauma and family upheaval have shaped her inner world and coping mechanisms. Her ironic comment about how much better her life is now (“Ha!”) suggests a guarded skepticism about her own progress or happiness. This reflection deepens the reader’s understanding of Susannah as a character who carries the weight of her past even as she navigates complex family dynamics and seeks emotional resilience.

    Quotes

    • 1. “Sometimes people disappeared, and sometimes people showed up again. Susannah’s father, for example.”

      This quote captures the chapter’s theme of absence and return, reflecting Susannah’s complex feelings about family and the unpredictability of relationships. It sets a tone of resignation and contemplation early in the chapter.

      2. “Performing was about a point of view, about how you felt. It was better to get up and yell the whole way through a song and really mean it than to try to get all the notes right. You knew it when you heard it.”

      Here, Susannah offers a profound insight into authenticity in artistic expression, emphasizing emotional truth over technical perfection. This thought highlights her perspective on karaoke and performance, symbolizing deeper ideas about sincerity versus appearance.

      3. “Ruth could interpret these however she wanted. Snake plane crying-face rainbow rainbow rainbow 100.”

      This line illustrates Susannah’s current emotional detachment and indirect communication style with her sister Ruth, using emojis as a coded, ambiguous language. It reveals the tension and distance within family dynamics during the chapter.

      4. “‘Or you could put it somewhere safe and not mention it to her,’ Mr. Anabin said gently.”

      This moment marks a subtle turning point, showing Mr. Anabin’s quiet encouragement for Susannah to take responsibility and perhaps protect something meaningful. It underscores themes of trust, secrecy, and care within the narrative.

      5. “‘Oh you weren’t ever as good / as we wished you were / my sister has boughten new guitars / so much fanci-ar / but a piece of you remains with me yet…’”

      This tender, self-penned song fragment encapsulates Susannah’s bittersweet feelings about the old guitar and, metaphorically, about memories and familial ties. It serves as a poignant emotional conclusion to the chapter, blending nostalgia with acceptance.

    Quotes

    1. “Sometimes people disappeared, and sometimes people showed up again. Susannah’s father, for example.”

    This quote captures the chapter’s theme of absence and return, reflecting Susannah’s complex feelings about family and the unpredictability of relationships. It sets a tone of resignation and contemplation early in the chapter.

    2. “Performing was about a point of view, about how you felt. It was better to get up and yell the whole way through a song and really mean it than to try to get all the notes right. You knew it when you heard it.”

    Here, Susannah offers a profound insight into authenticity in artistic expression, emphasizing emotional truth over technical perfection. This thought highlights her perspective on karaoke and performance, symbolizing deeper ideas about sincerity versus appearance.

    3. “Ruth could interpret these however she wanted. Snake plane crying-face rainbow rainbow rainbow 100.”

    This line illustrates Susannah’s current emotional detachment and indirect communication style with her sister Ruth, using emojis as a coded, ambiguous language. It reveals the tension and distance within family dynamics during the chapter.

    4. “‘Or you could put it somewhere safe and not mention it to her,’ Mr. Anabin said gently.”

    This moment marks a subtle turning point, showing Mr. Anabin’s quiet encouragement for Susannah to take responsibility and perhaps protect something meaningful. It underscores themes of trust, secrecy, and care within the narrative.

    5. “‘Oh you weren’t ever as good / as we wished you were / my sister has boughten new guitars / so much fanci-ar / but a piece of you remains with me yet…’”

    This tender, self-penned song fragment encapsulates Susannah’s bittersweet feelings about the old guitar and, metaphorically, about memories and familial ties. It serves as a poignant emotional conclusion to the chapter, blending nostalgia with acceptance.

    FAQs

    1. Why did Susannah choose not to attend the karaoke event, and what does this reveal about her character and current mood?

    Answer:
    Susannah deliberately avoided the karaoke event because she had no desire to participate, especially not with her sisters Laura and Ruth who would pressure her to sing despite recent tensions, such as Laura yelling at her earlier. She also expresses discomfort with the idea of a full family performance, which she associates with either cheesy country music or an awkward, overly staged scenario. This decision reveals that Susannah is feeling withdrawn, frustrated, and emotionally distant from her family. Her mood is subdued and reflective, preferring solitude over social interaction, highlighting her complex feelings about family dynamics and her own identity.

    2. How does the chapter contrast the nature of karaoke performances with the idea of genuine musical expression?

    Answer:
    The chapter contrasts karaoke as a scene where many people focus on hitting the right notes and replicating the original song perfectly, often through practice and technical precision. However, Susannah reflects that true performance is about conveying a personal point of view and emotional authenticity. She believes it is more powerful to sing with raw emotion—even yelling through a song—than to simply mimic the original flawlessly. This perspective emphasizes that music’s value lies in honest expression rather than technical perfection, underscoring a theme of sincerity versus appearance.

    3. What significance does the guitar returned by Mr. Anabin hold for Susannah, and how does this moment contribute to the chapter’s themes?

    Answer:
    The guitar symbolizes a connection to Susannah’s sister Laura and perhaps to their shared family history and personal struggles. Mr. Anabin’s act of returning the guitar gently suggests care and concern, especially as he advises Susannah to keep it safe and not necessarily tell Laura. This moment highlights themes of caretaking, secrecy, and emotional complexity within familial relationships. Susannah’s tender interaction with the guitar—tuning it and singing a melancholic song—reflects her longing for stability and connection amid familial fragmentation, reinforcing the chapter’s exploration of loss, memory, and the ways objects can carry emotional weight.

    4. Analyze the significance of Susannah’s use of emojis in her text responses to Ruth. What does this communication style suggest about their relationship and Susannah’s emotional state?

    Answer:
    Susannah’s choice to reply to Ruth’s texts with a string of seemingly random emojis (snake, plane, crying face, rainbow, 100) instead of words suggests a complex, perhaps ambivalent emotional state. This nonverbal, symbolic communication indicates that Susannah is not ready or willing to engage in direct conversation, possibly reflecting feelings of detachment, confusion, or emotional overwhelm. It also implies a level of trust or understanding between the sisters, as Susannah expects Ruth to interpret these ambiguous messages in her own way. This mode of communication underscores Susannah’s internal conflict and the nuanced dynamics within her family relationships.

    5. Consider Susannah’s reflection on the name “Bogomil” and her past. How does this insight deepen our understanding of her personal history and emotional growth?

    Answer:
    Susannah’s recollection of the name “Bogomil”—her magical wolf friend from childhood—and its probable connection to her father’s departure after the divorce reveals a poignant aspect of her past marked by sadness and loneliness. This insight contextualizes her current emotional landscape, showing how childhood trauma and family upheaval have shaped her inner world and coping mechanisms. Her ironic comment about how much better her life is now (“Ha!”) suggests a guarded skepticism about her own progress or happiness. This reflection deepens the reader’s understanding of Susannah as a character who carries the weight of her past even as she navigates complex family dynamics and seeks emotional resilience.

    Note