Flee, Fly, Flown
Hepburn is careful not to romanticize Lillian and Audrey's journey: this is no joy ride, though there are certainly moments of delight and laughter. The unexpected relationship that unfolds between the women and Rayne, as he becomes their caretaker and, ultimately, genuine friend, is especially moving. As she marvels at the intricacy of a sunflower, Lillian observes, 'Things are so different when you look closely at them.' This applies not only to these two remarkable women, but to the elderly in general, and certainly to this fine novel."Flee, Fly, Flown" is an enticing adventure that has plenty to enjoy, highly recommended reading."Well written and lively, worth a read!"There is comedy, poignancy and an unnerving mix of compassion and dispassion in how Hepburn imagines the challenges of conversations, pain, unreliable bodily functions, confusion and encounters with strangers both kind and vicious.The book itself succeeds quite admirably at delving into the internal worlds of two women who are only seen as patients, at displaying the complexities of their lives and their ontological integrity despite such a desperate illness.Lillian and Audrey's adventures explode like spiders across the stars of northern Ontario (and beyond), and readers willingly ride shotgun in Janet Hepburn's moving narrative of madness.