The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker
Mary Costello Reads “The Choc-Ice Woman”
Oct 9, 2023
Mary Costello, author of award-winning novel "Academy Street," reads her story "The Choc-Ice Woman." Topics include unique funeral arrangements, reflections on loss and memories, the impact of books and libraries, betrayals and revelations, reflections on pain and loneliness, reproductive health complications, and a secret on a deathbed.
59:21
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Quick takeaways
- The protagonist, Francis, grapples with pain, betrayal, and unfulfilled desires while reflecting on the meaning of her life.
- Francis contemplates the power of belief and the influence of upbringing on her views of relationships and morality.
Deep dives
The Chalk Ice Woman
Francis journeys in a hearse with Mr. O'Shea, the undertaker, to bring her brother Dennis's remains back home. As they drive, Francis reflects on Dennis's solitary life and her own experiences with pain, betrayal, infertility, and Chlamydia. She ponders her relationship with her husband Frank, who has been unfaithful and infected her with Chlamydia, but she chooses not to confront him. Francis contemplates her own mortality and the meaning of her life, while grappling with the past and the unfulfilled desires associated with it.
