Medical writer Kate Ledger’s first novel is a flat-out good read.
Simon Bear, an earnest suburban physician, and his wife, Emily, a public relations executive, live in a landmarked house outside of Baltimore. At first, Bear is a bore. He is flighty and pompous and yet, because he genuinely wishes to help people and has an innovative spirit, he’s both repellant and compelling. Emily is initially likeable but her selfish behavior nearly leads to dire consequences. The death of the couple’s first child many years ago still haunts them both, finally driving them to act out in surprising ways.
As a reviewer, I was mystified for most of the book as to why Remedies would be of interest to a Jewish audience. The Bears identify themselves vaguely as Reform Jews but have little knowledge of or interest in Jewish culture or religion. It is near the end of the novel, when Simon is in crisis and finds himself with neighbors at a temple on Kol Nidre, that the moment occurs for both character and reader. Simon looks around and realizes how arrogant he is to assume that his sins are worse than anyone else’s, and therefore unforgivable. Holding onto guilt for years and years has kept him from living honestly. He sees that the power of Yom Kippur is the chance it offers for annual renewal. He can choose not to dwell on the same old things and instead embrace his family, his friends, and his future.
Unfortunately the ending, while spiritually affirming, doesn’t quite hang together with the rest of the story, where religion is almost entirely absent. The Kol Nidre moment, while beautiful and moving, is a bit jarring, as if cut and pasted in. At the same time, it allows us to understand Simon and Emily, and maybe ourselves, a bit more.
