~by Thomas Michael Duncan

&NOW Books

160 pgs/$11.40

As any restless new parent will tell you, the world we live in is a dangerous, frightening place. Parents are blessed with these beautiful, wailing, flesh-blobs of wonder, and burdened with the task of protecting them, raising them to be good, happy, productive members of society. Is it any wonder why some parents chose to exercise a great deal of control over their children and their environment, to shelter their young from all the apparent and hidden pitfalls beyond the boundaries of the household?

At nineteen, Maggie is eldest of nine highly sheltered children living in a way that borders on quarantine. Each child is homeschooled, recreational time is limited and monitored. The only times the children leave the house are when the older ones run errands and when the entire family visits the library together. The family lives an isolated existence, underlined by the house itself, which is isolated from the rest of civilization by an array of natural features. Housebound, Elizabeth Gentry’s debut novel, begins with Maggie announcing her plans to leave the house to find a job and a new life in the city. This declaration creates a rift between her and the rest of the family, breaking a longstanding spell over them:

“Some time had passed since two complete sentences had been spoken over breakfast that did not pertain to some practical task—an instruction or bid for help. The children shifted on their benches, unable to believe they were witnessing a declaration of intent that even their parents’ refusal could not erase: Maggie had not asked permission nor had she made the announcement in private. She made it in front of all of them deliberately, suggesting that they, too, might seek out something else.” Continue reading →