In the shabby-respectable neighborhood where her son’s ex lives, she immediately finds a surprising sense of community. There’s her non-granddaughter most importantly, a precise, pensive, tender girl, but also a modest doctor, a shy teenager, a dog named Airplane. Willa’s real family – husband, sons – are cavalier to the point of cruelty with her; these new people need her, and set about rescuing her, in typical Tylerian fashion, from her own manners. This is my first time reading Anne Tyler and it certainly won’t be my last! I like this author’s style – the way she is able to take everyday, mundane events and turn them into an interesting story, yet still keep the overall tone low-key, subtle, and rooted in reality. The story is divided into 4 major segments that highlight 4 particular “defining moments” in the life of the main character Willa Drake -- starting in 1967 when she is 11 years old, we get a glimpse of what her childhood was like and how her family environment helped shape the kind of person she would become; then the story jumps to 1977, when Willa is in college and faces a major life decision in the form of a marriage proposal; then it jumps to 20 years later, in 1997, when Willa is faced with yet another life-changing event, widowhood at the young age of 41 and having to figure out how to move forward with her 2 teenage sons; and finally, 2017 when Willa is 61 years old, remarried (to a man whose personality is similar to her first husband in so many ways), retired and contemplating her lot in life when she gets a phone call about her son’s ex-girlfriend and impulsively flies to Baltimore. Through these vignette-like “observations” into her life at various stages, we get to know Willa on a deeper level and by the end of the book, she has become like a dear friend whom we just finished spending quality time with. Granted, I didn’t always agree with Willa’s decisions and honestly, at times her passiveness and tolerance for things she shouldn’t have tolerated really frustrated me, but I still liked her as a character and enjoyed being in her company, even if only for a short few days (the amount of time it took me to read the book). The character development is definitely well-done in here, and not just with Willa but also with the other characters, even some of the ones who only make a brief appearance. I enjoy reading about characters that are relatable, which many times means that they also have to be realistic and yes, sometimes even “ordinary,” – a character that may not necessarily have much excitement going on in their lives, but yet encounter interesting enough moments where a story like this never once comes across as boring. Willa is a kind and good person, a people-pleaser, only wanting what’s best for everyone, doing whatever she can to pitch in and help make things happen. She was a bit naive in general, but I found it hard not to like her, because of her genuine spirit. Like many of Tyler’s heroines, Willa’s talents only gradually emerge. Tiny details reveal the woman she has become in her sixties. Her carry-on case for the flight to Baltimore is the largest allowed: ‘She liked to dress nicely when she traveled.’ She can be manipulatively helpless: ‘Marriage was often a matter of dexterity, in Willa’s experience.’ Peter, who calls Willa ‘little one’, insists on accompanying her to Baltimore. ‘When have you ever traveled alone?’ She has, in fact, but Willa weakly acquiesces for the ‘comfort’ of being looked after. Her knowledge of five languages and long teaching career scarcely register. But arriving in unfamiliar surroundings causes Willa to ponder her own behaviour and that of her family. Peter clings to his laptop and mobile phone and is resentful of Willa’s interest in the new community. Having dinner with her son, who lives in Baltimore, Willa is disconcerted when he entertains his girlfriend with a gleefully spiteful critique of Peter. It occurs to her that she has spent her life apologising for men. Later we visit a familiar theme that women have grappled with for centuries: pleasing others - giving up dreams ( if even clear of them in the first place), trying to take care of everyone else’s needs, but little thought to one’s own.

Clock Dance - Wikipedia

Overall I think the book was OK. I really enjoyed the fact that the story was about a woman who has been told what to do most of her life and once she's put into this new situation, she kind of finds her own voice and becomes a more independent and strong person. I think that was really heartwarming that she found comfort in this new place and with these strangers that suddenly came into her life. I also really enjoyed Anne Tyler's writing style.

Book Summary

This book was only OK for me because I felt like the story was a bit slow moving for me. Maybe I was thinking there would be a bit more action and I wanted to see more things happen. It was nice to see Willa's journey however I'd like to see her relationships with her son's flourish or find out how she ended up once she got home to Tucson. There was a little blurb right at the very end what she was planning to do but I felt like I needed more to be satisfied with the ending. I just felt like pieces were missing and I felt like there's so many questions I have! And yet, it is also clear that the Willa who had her own hopes and dreams is still dormant within her. Indeed, the smart, witty, and ambitious Willa begins to merge with her docile, diplomatic self. It is a loose merging at first with long gap times where the threads grow loose and sloppy, but they never completely disconnect. We jump to the next 20 years and Willa is married to someone named Peter and he is not someone I would call a great spouse. He calls her "Little One", which is bizarre to call your wife. He also tells her what to do and she just kind of mouses away and goes with it. At this point Willa doesn't have much of a relationship with her sons, her sister and both of her parents have passed. She gets a call from one of her's son's ex girlfriends friends that Denise has been in an accident. Willa and Peter fly out to Baltimore to take care of her and this is when Willa realizes that strangers can turn into friends who can turn into family. Despite her husband’s displeasure, Willa decides to fly across the country to Baltimore and help out. Some readers struggle with the 'why' but I understood Willa’s motives. She is getting older, her two sons are distant, her husband is an ass, she’s bored, and is attracted to the need to be needed. To have an adventure. Hannah’s new novel is an homage to the extraordinary courage and endurance of Frenchwomen during World War II.

Clock Dance (Tyler) - LitLovers Clock Dance (Tyler) - LitLovers

I ended up loving Willa Drake, the heroine of this novel. Deep down I wished I had more of her looking through rose-glasses personality. She may have come across as a bit of a push-over, with her cheerful disposition, willingness to please, making sure never to ruffle any feathers. She's a kind person, interesting in a non-showy way, but like many women, she put her kids and husband(s) ahead of her needs and dreams.

Reader Reviews

This story found me following Willa Drake through key moments in her life at the ages of 11, 21, 41, and 61, and it was a journey that elicited empathy from me. Her family has problems with one unreliable parent and the other a passive enabler. Willa’s sister Elaine is only 6 years old when the novel opens and Willa feels responsible for her well-being. Indeed, she takes on a sense that she is responsible for everyone. Willa grew up with a moody mom and a docile dad. She helped raise her younger sister, Elaine, when her mom periodically stepped out of the house without warning. Willa is a good child, a responsible rule follower, and a peacemaker. She eventually marries her college boyfriend and has two sons, then becomes a widow when the boys are teenagers. Of the eight Tyler novels I’ve read so far, here’s how I’d rank them (from best to least good). You’ll see that this latest one falls somewhere in the middle. All of this is a set up for the second part of the book, in which Willa, now 61, gets a phone call about Denise, one of her distant sons’ ex-girlfriends, who’s living in Baltimore. Willa’s never met the woman, but she agrees to travel across the country to take care of Denise’s 9-year-old daughter, even though the kid’s not her son’s child.