In some inexplicable way, Frannie is a part of the wake-up call. Both worlds are tainted and Frannie develops a heavy freight of guilt and responsibility which is produced by his constantly learning about impending catastrophes that he can do nothing about. Learning that his wife will die of a brain tumor, Frannie schemes to interfere with her fate. At times the past, present and future warp and meld into a bewildering mix of anachronisms - Edsels and Isuzus, the Beatles and rap. Main street 2000 imposed on Main street 1947.
Roles become interchangeable.
Occasionally, time freezes, allowing Frannie to amble about in a static world filled with stalled cars, open mouths and birds arrested in flight. I have been a Carroll fan for 30 years. During the past two years, I have reviewed three Carroll novels in this column. However, I must confess that The Wooden Sea falls short of what I have come to expect from an author that Stephen King calls a master fantasist. In the process of finishing this book, I felt like I had assembled some intricate contraption only to discover that I was left with a dozen exotic pieces.