The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon (Epub)

Description

Both Cassie Hugo and Margaret Brickshaw dutifully followed their soldier husbands to the U.S. embassy in Jordan, but that’s about all the women have in common. After two years, Cassie’s become an expert on the rules, but newly arrived Margaret sees only her chance to explore. So when a fender-bender sends Margaret to the local police station, Cassie reluctantly agrees to watch Margaret’s toddler son. But as the hours pass, Cassie’s boredom and frustration turn to fear: Why isn’t Margaret answering her phone, and why is it taking so long to sort out a routine accident? Snooping around Margaret’s apartment, Cassie begins to question not only her friend’s whereabouts but also her own role in Margaret’s disappearance.

With achingly honest prose and riveting characters, The Confusion of Languages plunges readers into a shattering collision between two women and two worlds, affirming Siobhan Fallon as a powerful voice in American fiction and a storyteller not to be missed.

“A gripping, cleverly plotted novel with surprising bite.”—Phil Klay

“Mesmerizing and devastating….Two military wives must explore a modern-day, cultural labyrinth in this insatiable read.”—Sarah McCoy

User’s Reviews

Review “Explores friendships, parenting, and the civilian/military divide. . . . The more we can shrink the yawning chasm between families’ experiences, the better for us all.” —The Washington Post “An incisive examination of friendship and betrayal and a skillful mingling of cultural and domestic themes.”—Booklist (starred review) “A gripping, cleverly plotted novel with surprising bite.”—Phil Klay, author of Redeployment “Mesmerizing and devastating. . . Two military wives must explore a modern-day, cultural labyrinth. An insatiable read that will leave you breathless.”—Sarah McCoy, author of The Mapmaker’s Children “Fallon’s fast-paced, compelling story doesn’t sacrifice nuance or sensitivity . . . Piercing and precise.” —Florida Times-Union “[T]hese women…are honest and well-formed characters . . . Page-turning and rich in detail, this is a solid, insightful debut.”—Kirkus Reviews “Cerebral but still taut with suspense . . . this novel’s sophisticated pacing and emotional core set it apart from the pack.”—ShelfAwareness “Touching. . . . A moving work about desire and the dislo­cation one might experience in a foreign land.” —BookPage “Fallon’s novel has the irresistible force of a whirlpool.”—David Abrams, author of Fobbit “Gripping.”—Southern Living “Exquisite.”—Bustle“This gripping personal tale of a friendship gone wrong brings our larger political blunders, blindness, and naiveté in the Middle East to light.”—Laura Harrington, author of Alice Bliss “The world of military families may be unfamiliar to civilians, but Fallon writes about it brilliantly, charting its strict hierarchies, emotional complexities, and fierce loyalties with the intelligence and deep compassion they deserve.” —Roxana Robinson, author of Sparta “Both a page-turning mystery and a riveting character study in the vein of Henry James or Patricia Highsmith. Tense, intriguing, smart, witty, set in an exotic locale, and full of barbed insights into the nature of friendship and marriage. ”—Andria Williams, author of The Longest Night”Fallon’s ability to see into the living rooms, kitchens, and bars of Americans buffeted by their country’s wars makes her one of the most important observers of the American present.”—Matti Friedman, author of Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier’s Story“Evocative of the film Babel, The Confusion of Languages is layered, rich with meaning, and compelling right up to a final sentence so right and perfect that it resonates long after closing the book.”—Elizabeth Marro, author of Casualties “Fallon writes with authority and grace, and her characters are so compelling and complex.”—Emily Jeanne Miller, author of The News from the End of the World

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ Having lived in Amman, Jordan for three years as the wife of an American foreign service officer, this book stirred up many memories and feelings from my time in the Middle East.Two themes have stayed with me that are eloquently expressed in this book: first, the constant recalibration of how I related to and responded to local Jordanian men (am I aloof and unfriendly to those just offering Arab hospitality or am I too responsive and sending messages I don’t intend to send?). Secondly, the disorienting mix of power and vulnerability I constantly experienced as a Western woman: I had status as the wife of an American diplomat, but I was also always susceptible to stares, unwanted attention and disparagement because I wasn’t covered and therefore “fair game” to some young men. Fascinating read; I highly recommend it particularly to those who have spent time in the Middle East.

⭐ I was also the wife of a foreign service officer in Amman during the outbreak of the Arab Spring, and there was so much in this novel that I recognized and identified with – the strangeness of the Middle East, the awkward uncertainty of what is acceptable cultural behavior, the mystifying differences, the insular embassy community, the political fear and danger. But it will tug at strings of familiarity for people far beyond those who know that place and time. If you’ve ever struggled with making friendships as an adult woman, or infertility and the pulsing desire for motherhood, or tension and absence and miscommunications in your marriage, or cultural confusions, or the conflict between the person you idealize yourself as in your head and how others actually see and respond to you, you will find something in this novel that will make you think, make you question, and make you feel. It isn’t always a comfortable read, or a pleasant one. But it is real, in every way that matters, and the questions Fallon asks are big, important ones. This would be the perfect selection for a book club, and is absolutely the kind of story you will want to discuss with others. Fallon is an immensely talented writer, and this is a powerful and skillful debut.

⭐ As a former expat (in Europe, not the Middle East), I could relate to this book and it’s depiction of a fast friendship cemented between disparate characters. Cassie is a by the book military wife, a strict adherent to the rules of behavior in the Middle East and more than a little paranoid. Margaret is an adventurous soul, desiring only to explore her new country, unheedful of the rules and naive about the consequences of breaking them.One of the major drivers of the plot is Cassie’s jealousy and sense of rejection when Margaret goes her own way and forms an innocent friendship with a Jordanian US embassy guard. Cassie injects the facts with some innuendo, and tattles on Margaret to the wrong people. Tragedy ensues.What doesn’t work for me in this plot line is the fact that while Cassie’s take adds some exaggeration to the general situation, she is a good friend to Margaret. Her warnings about the expectations regarding female behavior in the Middle East are spot on and when Margaret breaks the rules, the consequences are mostly as Cassie predicted. So why bother with the jealousy angle at all? It may have been a more obvious plot device if the story had taken place within another, less severe culture, but in the Middle East, crossing certain lines ARE inappropriate and the results can be damaging.Overall, this book was an okay read for me and even with the perceived flaws I’d happily recommend it to expat women everywhere. The emphasis on the trailing spouse friendships is extremely relatable and I looked back on that aspect with happy nostalgia.

⭐ Only someone who has actually lived the military lifestyle could capture it so accurately as Fallon does. Kudos to her for writing about things that go on at the home front when spouses are deployed. military spouses learn to be strong, independent, self-sufficient, and have to step up when their loved ones are away. Fallon captured what can happen in a small close knit community when gossip and innuendos run amuck.

⭐ This book was a perfect tale of women living abroad as the spouses of military/government officials. I am on my first post abroad and am unfamiliar to this way of life. It was wonderful to read about someone experiencing the same sort of things as I am right now. It was so eloquently written with great attention to detail that it makes me want to document my own experiences. I loved it (even though it made me cry) it made me want to keep reading, and am excited for book club so I can talk more about it. -LeAnn Grimm

⭐ Siobhan Fallon creates a unraveling mystery through the character of Margaret. ‘The Confusion of Languages’ admits how easy it is to misinterpret other people, even ourselves.

⭐ I haven’t read a novel for a while. I can’t remember where I heard of this one, or why I remembered it. I’m glad I did. The author has a great sense of continuity–keeping the story moving briskly but with enough information to get to know the characters, and to draw the reader into their world.If I am ever able to write a novel, I hope I will be able to engrossing a reader as she did for me.

⭐ I don’t often finish books as quickly as I did this one. It led me to finish my evening school work early to read two or three more chapters before turning in for the night. Having lived overseas on a military assignment, I found it all very relatable.

⭐ I was fascinated by this examination of military and embassy life in Jordan, as I really know nothing of either. I enjoyed the description of the area and the people involved. I could not put it down, kept waiting for the next secret to unfold between the friends and spouses. Fallon has a knack for drawing you in with her characters and look forward to her next book!

⭐ I loved this book. The writing is great, the story is well crafted, and I really enjoyed the details about embassy life in a foreign country. Lots to be said for this book. You’ll enjoy the read.

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