Little Night

by  Luanne Rice

Domestic violence is insidious. It affects everyone that comes near it in so many different ways. Luanne Rice has written a story of two sister’s lives and how they have been controlled by one man. Clare Burke attempts to rescue her sister and her niece and nephew from an abusive marriage. The attempt at a rescue goes horribly wrong and Claire spends time in prison, literally, and time locked away from all that she values. Her sister Ann’s character is written to showcase how insidious abuse can be and how it takes over entirely.

Clare paid a steep price for attempting to save her sister. She has done her time and lives a quiet life in Manhattan. The walls around her come from within and she does not seem to be able to reconnect with her former life.  Her niece, Grit, arrives literally at her doorstop with no place to go and a story to tell about the horrible life that her family had lived with their father. Rice weaves the story together by telling it from multiple viewpoints.  

Ann’s story is told from a diary that her daughter Grit has taken from her mother and brought with her to her Aunt Clare’s house. It is the story of a woman who is so brought down by abuse. At times, she seems to recognize and fight against it, but overall she succumbs to it. Grit fills in missing pieces for Clare.

Clare’s story is told through her relationship with her boyfriend and her talks with Grit. Both women are scarred but not damaged beyond redemption. Rice has the ability to handle both characters with grace.

There is much to discuss in this book and I am sure that many book clubs will enjoy this book.  The reader is shown aspects of domestic violence that is not always discussed, that is the aftermath and the unintended consequences of the abuse. It is a good read, the book will make you think about relationships, your own and those around you.