Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann
Feb 12, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Tigers in Red Weather
It’s time for another installment of the Cause A Frockus book club and we are very excited to tell you about our latest read, Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussman. It’s a page turner set against the two decades following WWII. It took us a record day and a half to devour it, cover to cover! Come along with us as we tell you more about this engaging novel.
The story begins at the final moments of the second World War, depicting the close friendship of two female cousins: Nick and Helena. Our author beautifully captures their shared delight; that moment when you have the knowledge that life is about to begin anew, but not the wisdom to know exactly how it will evolve. As the cousins move to different edges of the country, their family cottage in the Northeast becomes the tie that binds them and the thread woven throughout each chapter. Do you ever feel like there is one location that has defined different stages of your life?
One of the best things about this read is the masterful way emotions are captured and communicated. Much like Dame Agatha Christie, Ms. Klaussmann peers into the very core of her characters and describes all without an over-abundance of words. You may think that the lack of “fluff” makes for an uncomfortable storytelling pace, but we found it to flow at the right speed. (Mainly because the chapters are structured hand in hand with natural pause points.) In addition to the placement of chapters, we must also make mention of the clever way the entire tale is structured. As time progresses and the cousins’ families grow, each character gets their own defined section, where the same memories are expressed from different vantage points. As a reader, we found it added an interesting twist on things – a poignant reminder that there are always two sides to every story.
1950s Cape Cod, photography by Hicks
The relationship between Nick and her husband Hughes is an excellent example of this. As Nick confides, “There was so much that she didn’t know about him, not really, and although she always wanted to confront, to slice him open in one deft movement and peer inside, something animal in her told her it was the wrong way to proceed with him.” (Klaussmann 10) She struggles with trying to reacquaint herself with the new man that returns to her after the war. As we learn in Hughes’ section, he feels unsure about things as well. “He couldn’t put his finger on it exactly; something akin to fear, but it wasn’t quite that. He knew it had to do with Nick, with losing her. But he hadn’t lost her, though sometimes he would imagine that he had. The thought sickened him, like the sound of a bone breaking.”(Klaussman 208)
This story is so much more than a period piece, looking at the struggles of young people trying to make their way in a post World War II world. Klaussman delves into the complications of family, growing up, growing apart, addiction, and love in a way that really transcends any placement in time. Her candid look at life beneath the surface reminds us of the importance of honesty, communication, and love. We guarantee you’ll find yourself reflecting on life for days after you’ve shut that back cover.
Cause A Frockus would like to thank their tremendous resources: Liza Klaussmann and the people who post their images without restriction.
For our readers: Did you enjoy this novel? Do you enjoy reading stories set in the past?