Reading Corner | ‘Hausfrau’ haunts with lonely expatriate’s search for self

“Hausfrau“ is a skillfully crafted, complex novel by Jill Alexander Essbaum that examines a host of topics through the eyes of American Anna Benz, who basically is trying to find happiness, love and “self.” Anna, now in her late 30s, has lived with her Swiss husband, Bruno Benz, in his homeland for nine years but still hasn’t acclimated.

Anna has no friends. Her German is rudimentary. She doesn’t drive and relies on Bruno or his mother, Ursula, for transportation or takes the train wherever she wants to go. The couple’s two sons are in school, and their daughter isn’t a year old yet, but Ursula lives close by and is a willing babysitter. As Anna searches for fulfillment, she starts having affairs, the first of whom is Stephen. She believes she loves him and throughout the book goes back to memories of him.

She follows Bruno’s suggestion to see a psychotherapist in order to resolve her depression, but she poses philosophical questions to the woman, Doktor Messerli. “What is the difference between a need and a want?” she asks. “What is the difference between the self and the soul?” Doktor Messerli answers logically, but as these questions continue with each visit, she becomes frustrated with Anna. The Doktor recommends Anna keep a journal and tells her to be totally honest with herself, but once again, Anna writes in a philosophical vein and cannot find peace within herself.

The Doktor also recommends Anna take German language classes, and that is where Anna meets Archie and begins an affair with him. Canadian Mary Gilbert is in the German class as well and likes Anna. She invites her and her family to dinner, a meeting that goes well, which brings the families together. However, Mary unintentionally becomes Anna’s nemesis.

What is very distracting in the book is that the text contains German words and references, which can be confusing to those who don’t know the language. Possibly it’s the author’s attempt to emphasize Anna’s feelings about learning the language.

Dreams and birthday parties play a big role in the story, but what is most disturbing as a reader is that the events in the book are not linear. They switch back and forth from Anna’s language class to her affair with Archie to her affair with Stephen to what Anna is doing at the present time to the several birthday parties. The first of the birthday parties is for Bruno’s sister, Daniela, where Anna begins an affair with Karl. The next is the surprise party Mary plans for Anna despite her pleas not to have a party. Finally, Mary believes 1-year-old Polly Jean, Anna’s daughter, should have a party.

After Anna’s birthday party, she begins to change. She decides not to have any more affairs and is ambivalent about Switzerland but is ready to acclimate. Doktor Messerli has told Anna, “A lonely woman is a dangerous woman. She is also a bored woman. Bored women act on impulse.” This is true for Anna, and she is one of those unfortunate characters who makes irreversible decisions.

Jo Ann Mathews, For The Sun News

Meet Boykin at festival

Charlotte, N.C., author Kim Boykin, who wrote “Palmetto Moon” and “The Wisdom of Hair,” will be at the Strawberry & Wine Festival from noon to 5 p.m. today at Silver Coast Winery, 6680 Barbeque Road, Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Admission is $5.

Moveable Feast updates

▪ The venue for Friday’s May 1 Moveable Feast with Bill Thompson, “Art & Craft: Thirty Years on the Literary Beat,” has moved to Caffe Piccolo, 9428 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island.

▪ The May 8 event with Pat Conroy and Caroline Seltzer is full with a waiting list. However, they will be going to Litchfield Books, 11421 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, after the feast at about 2 p.m. that day to meet and sign.

▪ The June 9 event with Dorothea Benton Frank is also full with a waiting list. She will adjourn to the bookstore at about 3 p.m. that day to meet and sign.

For more information, call 235-9600 or visit www.classatpawleys.com.

Cass promotes ‘The Heir’

Kiera Cass, Myrtle Beach native and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of “The Selection” series, will be at Barnes & Noble at 6 p.m. May 7 to promote her latest novel, “The Heir,” which will go on sale May 5.

Barnes & Noble is at 3346 Reed St., Myrtle Beach, in The Market Common.

This story was originally published April 25, 2015 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Reading Corner | ‘Hausfrau’ haunts with lonely expatriate’s search for self."