Lighthousekeeping — Jeanette Winterson

A friend of a friend let me borrow a copy of Jeanette Winterson's Lighthousekeeping. This was only my second Winterson novel, the first one being Written on the Body that my ex-partner got me while we were together. I really liked Written on the Body, so I jumped at the chance to read Lighthousekeeping.

What a bad idea. This is not the novel to read when your heart, mind, and body are exhausted and worn to their cores. Parts of the book left me a broken mess on the floor.

--
You must never doubt the one you love.
But they might not be telling you the truth.
Never mind that. You tell them the truth.
What do you mean?
You can't be another person's honesty, child, but you can be your own.
So what should I say?
When?
When I love someone?
You should say it. (85)


What should I do about the wild and the tame? The wild heart that wants to be free, and the tame heart that wants to come home. I want to be held. I don't want you to come too close. I want you to scoop me up and bring me home at nights. I don't want to tell you where I am. I want to keep a place among the rocks where no one can find me. I want to be with you. (198–199)