TAFT by Ann Patchett

Another character driven novel from the mind of legendary author, Ann Patchett.

Taft was first published in 1994 and tells the story of bar manager John Nickel, who finds himself hiring young waitress Fay Taft, and becoming entangled in her life.

Fay, and her brother Carl, recently lost their father andmove to Memphis to live with relatives. Fay looks for work at the bar and, after proving herself, quickly becomes a valued employee. Carl often attends the bar at nights, waiting for Fay to finish work, and it is clear he holds secrets…not as secretively as he thinks.

John is grappling, amidst all this, with his ex, Marion, taking their son Franklin, to live in Miami.

The connection between John and Fay in instant and strong, but there are strong reasons for them not to act.

Patchett’s books are character driven stories - there is never anything particularly surprising or shocking about plotlines. Instead, she writes snapshots of people’s lives, telling aspects of their stories over a period of time (usually a few months) that involves character growth or development, or a significant moment in their lives.

This story has many layers: the complexities of family, the legacy of family tragedy, the impact of the decisions we make on others. There are also racial aspects - Nickel is black, Fay is white. More importantly, Nickel is likely in his late 30s, and Fay is…..not.

This is the fourth Patchett novel I have read and while it isn’t the best of them, it’s an earlier work and I certsinly had no inclination to put it down - it’s still a great novel. I actually read this while we (in South East Queensland) were enduring Cyclone Alfred. We were without power, the internet and hot water for a few days and so the novel was my company through that - and it was great company (in daylight hours!).

Taft is a terrific Patchett novel for the fans of her work and for new Patchett fans alike.