The
Snowman
by Carolyn Chute
Reviewed by Kenny Brechner
The Prince La Fireez once remarked, "for my part, I had as lief have this musk-million on my shoulders as a head so blockish as to want ambition." A want of ambition is most assuredly not a flaw encumbering Maine novelist Carolyn Chute. Her last book, Merry Men was a mountain of a book, a mountain which, for the most part, Mohammed declined to visit. With Snow Man the author has followed the advice of the proverb. The mountain has been slimmed down and put through some aerobic training. The mountain, that is to say, comes to Mohammed.
The role of the mountain is played by Robert Daniel Drummond, a member of the fictitious Maine Militia, The Snowmen. Robert assassinates senator Kip Davies execution style and, though wounded in the shoulder, finds his way to the home of his next intended victim Senator Creighton. Once there he collapses and passes out on the floor. One might have expected the Creighton family to react similarly to Bertram Wooster who, when asked by a revolutionary, "Do you yearn for the Revolution," replied, "Well, I don't know that I exactly yearn. I mean to say as far as I can make out, the whole hub of the scheme seems to be to massacre coves like me." The Creightons however are made of sterner stuff.
In point of fact the Creightons are loathe to rush to a judgement. The caretaker Art Berry sagely points out that, "This...is...somethin' we gotta think about. Right?" Right. Upon due consideration, and since the liberal Senator, who is out of town, is against capital punishment, they decide to get the killer some medical attention. Inspired, perhaps, by having watched Horsefeathers recently, they hit upon the idea of bringing a veterinarian in. The vet obliges and the Snow Man's stay in the Creighton household has begun.
Throughout Robert's residency two things steadily increase. Robert and the Creightons increasingly find common ground and have soul awakening experiences. Daughter Krystie, sensible of the moral and physical virility of Robert's world, becomes his submissive lover. Mother Connie worries that "even good decent men might...have...funny ideas in the night." Daughter Krystie declares herself a big booster of funny ideas. "Ok!' says Connie brightly, throwing up her hands. 'As long as everybody is happy." Meanwhile the government and its agents steadily close in, accompanied by some shockingly awful metaphors. Unmarked government cars form a constant protective ring "like the hard squeeze and hot breath of a pet gorilla."
With the "pet gorilla" closing in the Creightons are forced into action. They give Robert a ride back to Maine in their Mercedes and part ways, everyone involved having done what was right instead of what was wrong.
Carolyn Chute is an author of deep conviction and modern
society is a big target. She has a lot to say that one certainly agrees with. As
a serious novel, though, Snow Man is fatally encumbered by its relentless
predictability and hackneyed dialogue.
