Jonathan's Vows by Mark Lages
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mark Lages always circles around the traditional everyman tale. It's not something we see much of these days, but it ought to be something we're aware of.

Characters don't have to be bigger than life. They can be very, very normal and still have a lot to say.

In this case, it's the way an entire novel can be written as a marriage vow as seen by a 21-year-old contemplating all the ups and downs of a pretty full life with his intended.

Some happiness, but mostly, it's maintenance. A good dose of mutual disappointment, a liberal helping of stupid mistakes, and a splash of understanding.

The point is, in the end, that one should always go into situations with your eyes wide open, I suppose, but the power of this book lies in letting us make up our own minds.

As always, the writing and the subject material are mild, overall, and almost always conversational. It's easy-going despite the few tragedies we encounter, and never offensive. Overall, it's almost always about honesty, and that takes courage, too.




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