What did you think of the way Martha and Ephraim’s past is revealed in the interstitial chapters? What did those glimpses of their earlier years reveal about them as the 1789 story unfolded? Which moments in their love story struck you most deeply?
I liked the author’s use of these “sidenote” chapters as the details helped me understand Martha and Ephraim’s deepening love and admiration given their past interaction. Their strong love was the foundation of their lives. This aspect of their love story was memorable and enduring.
Life is not always linear. Having bits of Martha’s earlier life held from the readers until the interstitial chapters worked to emphasize the importance of certain scenes in the book. For example. Martha’s answer that she had seen a hanging would not have the impact the first time she answered that question in the back room of the tavern. The backstory of the hanging held more meaning after being introduced to Ephraim and the relationship of Martha and Ephraim as a couple.
I agree with both of the above responses.
The intervening glimpses into Ephraim and Martha’s history was satisfying to me because as the reader I felt I was being entrusted with deeply personal information that nearly all the characters in the story were unaware of. I felt somehow honored to be a recipient of their story as a whole–a story we wouldn’t have known were it not for these glimpses. The relationship in its entirety also stands in stark and satisfying contrast to the violence, the misogyny, and the disregard for the value and dignity of a woman as human being.
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I have to admit that the love story between Martha & Ephraim was one of my favorite parts of the book. Since they are both such strong characters, these interstitial chapters gave the reader a chance to get to know them & to understand their relationship by experiencing their tenderness & unwavering support of each other over decades. These glimpses of their past allowed me a chance to be with them through their sweet highs & terrible lows. It also allowed me to understand their relationships with their children better. I loved Sunny’s reference about feeling “entrusted with deeply personal information” that others did not know. I also agree with Grace_W’s comment that the back story regarding the hanging that Martha had witnessed was more impactful once you came to know her & Ephraim’s character. It helped me to comprehend with much more depth the outrage that Martha (& Ephraim) felt for Rebecca Foster and the lengths that they both went to for justice to be done.
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The way in which Marth and Ephraim story unfolded, allows us a reader to better understand their relationship. Their history runs deep and enriches their love and support of one another.