'Paint It Black' by Janet Fitch
Little, Brown, $24.99, 400 pages
By Marilyn Perez
Published: September 8th, 2006 | 2:14pm
Paint It Black is a heart-wrenching tale of Josie Tyrell, a young woman coping with the loss of her artist boyfriend, Michael Faraday, who committed suicide in a motel room. The background is set in the early '80s punk scene in Los Angeles, California. The suicide is the introduction to the story and lays out what lies ahead for Josie.
Josie and Michael were from different worlds; she a teen runaway from a broken home, he a privileged Harvard drop-out with famous parents. It was art that brought them together and Michael took Josie under his wing and introduced her to world of beauty and sophistication. Before Michael, Josie was lost, living a life without meaning and direction. Michael gave her a purpose and reason to live. Once he put a bullet in his head, he took more than just his life, he took the very things he gave Josie to live for.
Josie now struggles with moving on and understanding why Michael took his life ; he seemed so content, didn't he? She has trouble connecting with others and seeks comfort in drugs and alcohol. It seems the only other person who can relate to her is Meredith, Michael's pianist mother; the same mother who tried to kill Josie with her bare hands during Michael's funeral, the same mother who blames Josie for Michael's death. The relationship between mother and girlfriend is uncomfortable, awkward, and their encounters are intense. No matter how strong the resentment, they need each other to heal. The connection is there and they learn from each other more about who their son/boyfriend really was.
Seven years after the success of White Oleander, Janet Fitch once again brings a story of first love and codependency at its worst. In her second release, Paint It Black she brings two women together and develops a relationship based on tragedy and loss. She does an excellent job exploring the personalities and painful histories of Josie and Meredith. It explores the impact an overbearing mother can have on an only child and how they will relate to others later on in life. She shows that what we sometimes dread and avoid the most is exactly what is needed in order to move ahead.
Issue #28
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