Just Like Romeo & Juliet
Thompson, Renee. The Bridge at Valentine. Freedom, CA : Tres Picos Press, 2010.
Ms. Thompson set her hooks into me from the very start and has yet to free me still … and it is now three days since I completed this novel at 2.00 in the morning.
When the reviewers and publishers touted this as a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet it piqued my interest and I assumed I would know the trajectory of the story. I was wrong. Thompson is better than that.
July Caldwell is a head-strong fourteen year old daughter in a Mormon family of sheep-herders. July would rather work the sheep than be inside. When her brother Richard (he’d rather read poetry) take sheep across Valentine bridge it collapses under the weight of the sheep and a bridge cable lashes July from collarbone to stomach. She recovers under the care of Doctor Forbes and herbal ministrations of hired-man Pun (He’s Chinese and an excellent minor character). Immediately after the bridge accident Mr. Caldwell vehemently projects the blame on the Mr. Morrow. Dr. Morrow’s interest in July is soon more than medical but July has no interest in his romantic inclinations.
Rory Morrow is the head-strong son of Gentile (non-Mormon) cattle-herders. He’d rather take photographs that work the cattle. Both July and Rory set their fathers on edge with their preferences that go against the grain of patriarchal exceptions. Predictably they meet and take a shine to each other. That is about only thing predicable in this re-telling.
The story passionately unfolds against the background of the landscape and hard scrabble lives of all of the characters. And I mean all the characters. Thomspon brilliantly developed them all: hired hands, brothers, mothers, fathers, and school friends to give this story verity. They get under your skin and grow to care about this web of people. Thompson also knows the landscape, sheep herding and human nature. Her characters’ ruminations on nature were pitch-perfect. This first novel is mature and steadfast.
As July and Rory’s love blossoms we see the brutal consequences of how time, distance and prejudice can lead to misconceptions and miscommunication. In some cases no communication. And how loyalty to family can be a ill-spent sentiment. Again we are reminded how regret and revenge and prejudice can haunt our souls.
I would never had predicted how this gripping tale would play out its eventual tragedies. I was surprised, saddened, amazed and exhilarated by Thompson’s crescendo and then climactic rendering of people living out their ill-informed decisions. Like the Bard her story lingers because it is such a great story.
Speaking of the Bard…. He would enjoy how Romeo and Juliet fared on the stage called Bridge at Valentine.
