Review: THE ILLUMINATING LIGHTHOUSE
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 29, 2013
In the aftermath of her infant daughter's birth and untimely death a few hours later, Claire struggles to find meaning in her daughter's short life.Unable to connect with her husband Jim, whose feelings are hidden, and who cannot offer the support and sharing she craves, Claire returns to a lighthouse she has always loved.  The very place she and Jim met years before, and owned by a woman named Ida.As she settles into the comforting womb-like nest, Claire reexamines her life, her relationship with Jim, and the short life of her daughter Lily.  Jim's inability to share his feelings has driven a wedge between the two, but even as Claire recalls the paradox that is her husband, she revels in the parts of him that are precious.  She especially recalls the moment of conception and how special that particular day had been to them.Along the way to rediscovering and reconnecting with Jim, Claire realizes that their relationship has always had its ups and downs.  But despite those moments, something has invariably brought them together again.  As if they were meant to be.Why does Claire feel so intensely close to Lily here?  Is her spirit hovering nearby?  Will her presence follow her home, or can she only connect with her here in the lighthouse?An introspective journey,Finding Lilyis one woman's exploration of the meaning of life, most especially the significance of her own special baby and the conflicted relationship with her husband that brought the child into being.  At times, Claire's perspective and the journey she shares seemed uneven, characteristic of moments we all reflect upon and that come to us sporadically.  Claire's journey also takes the reader into the lighthouse owner's world as Claire reads letters and journal entries that show what a special relationship that Ida and her husband had shared.  Yet even through the love they held for each other, there were flaws and mistakes, reminding Claire that she and Jim might possibly reconnect despite their inability to grieve together.In the end, the lighthouse seemed to illuminate many things for Claire and give her the strength to find a way to balance her own needs with her husband's mood shifts.  Would her discoveries be enough to sustain them?While the story and its symbolism resonated with me, there were rambling aspects that seemed to weigh it down at times.  Therefore, I'm giving this one four stars.