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Freefall: A Divine Comedy
Freefall: a Divine Comedy introduces Tillie Bloom, a wacky installation artist, who reconnects with three former friends—women she had hung out with in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s—in a four-day reunion at Whistler, B.C. The new intimacy they experience prompts them to celebrate their approaching sixtieth birthdays together, as well as the millennium, in Venice, Italy, where two thirds of the book take place. During this time, secrets surface, their stories binding them closer together.venice-2647436_1920.jpg
As we come to know them better, the women’s identities shift, enlarging, becoming more complex. Each one’s life has taken a different direction. Tillie and Daddy have both moved to the States from Canada, where Tillie has given herself over to art. Daddy—once a radical feminist/hippie and now a lesbian—has turned into a successful real estate saleswoman. Moll, tres sportif, a housewife and mother of three, spends her free time exploring the Canadian outdoors. Sibyl—also married and a shrewd bookkeeper addicted to 4000-piece jigsaw puzzles, cigarettes, and wine—has a cabin in Whistler, a home in Vancouver, and a flat in Venice.
While Sibyl, Moll, and Daddy assume they’re in Venice to vacation and deepen their relationships, Tillie has a hidden agenda: she intends to crash the Biennale, an art extravaganza scheduled every other year, hoping to find a larger audience for her art. But first she must find the ideal place to construct her installation that features casts she made of her three friends’ bodies as well as other zany pieces.
Soon after they arrive in Venice, they visit the church of the Santa Maria Della Salute where Tillie and a lascivious priest, Father Lazarus (a half-Ethiopian dwarf), fall for each other. Later, Tillie thinks Frank, her former photographer lover, who recently died, has returned as a pigeon, much like the one that made a dramatic appearance at his wake. It pursues her through the streets of Venice, complicating her developing relationship with the priest and offering some wonderfully comic moments.
Tillie often gets lost in the maze of streets, but she resurfaces sooner or later, intrigued by the various reflective surfaces and how they participate in the city’s love affair with light. These reflections counter the pull of darker forces, causing the four women to reevaluate themselves and their lives. Tillie, in particular, experiences a new understanding of herself that propels her into a new age, not unlike what she had experienced in the early 1960s.
A humorous yet serious meditation on the relationship between art and mortality, Freefall: a Divine Comedy taps into the rich underground springs that feed all of our lives, suggesting that death is more complex than we normally believe—darkness and death being the source of life and not just the end. It also celebrates the imagination.
As we come to know them better, the women’s identities shift, enlarging, becoming more complex. Each one’s life has taken a different direction. Tillie and Daddy have both moved to the States from Canada, where Tillie has given herself over to art. Daddy—once a radical feminist/hippie and now a lesbian—has turned into a successful real estate saleswoman. Moll, tres sportif, a housewife and mother of three, spends her free time exploring the Canadian outdoors. Sibyl—also married and a shrewd bookkeeper addicted to 4000-piece jigsaw puzzles, cigarettes, and wine—has a cabin in Whistler, a home in Vancouver, and a flat in Venice.
While Sibyl, Moll, and Daddy assume they’re in Venice to vacation and deepen their relationships, Tillie has a hidden agenda: she intends to crash the Biennale, an art extravaganza scheduled every other year, hoping to find a larger audience for her art. But first she must find the ideal place to construct her installation that features casts she made of her three friends’ bodies as well as other zany pieces.
Soon after they arrive in Venice, they visit the church of the Santa Maria Della Salute where Tillie and a lascivious priest, Father Lazarus (a half-Ethiopian dwarf), fall for each other. Later, Tillie thinks Frank, her former photographer lover, who recently died, has returned as a pigeon, much like the one that made a dramatic appearance at his wake. It pursues her through the streets of Venice, complicating her developing relationship with the priest and offering some wonderfully comic moments.
Tillie often gets lost in the maze of streets, but she resurfaces sooner or later, intrigued by the various reflective surfaces and how they participate in the city’s love affair with light. These reflections counter the pull of darker forces, causing the four women to reevaluate themselves and their lives. Tillie, in particular, experiences a new understanding of herself that propels her into a new age, not unlike what she had experienced in the early 1960s.
A humorous yet serious meditation on the relationship between art and mortality, Freefall: a Divine Comedy taps into the rich underground springs that feed all of our lives, suggesting that death is more complex than we normally believe—darkness and death being the source of life and not just the end. It also celebrates the imagination.
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
Lily Iona MacKenzie
11 books98 followersIn her youth, Lily Iona MacKenzie, a poet and novelist who also writes nonfiction, frolicked on a Canadian farm in an area almost too small to be on the map. She didn’t practice writing then, but she did learn to pay attention to her surroundings. The clouds in the sky offered images that stirred her imagination and stimulated her dreaming self. Cows, calves, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats, and horses were her early teachers and her main playmates. Those years instilled in her the need to honor those in her care and the realization that being successful involves hard work. As a writer, it includes her dedication to the writing craft and her belief that commitment and perseverance form the machinery that writers depend upon. Visit her blog at lilyionamackenzie.com.
Here are discussion questions for readers of FLING!
Try to answer these questions by using examples from Fling!
1. How is magic (or supernatural elements) introduced in the novel?
2. What is its role in the narrative?
3. What kind of reading agreement has to be established between the author and the reader in order for the magical elements to work?
4. Do the magical realist devices disrupt the logic of the story or enhance it?
5. What specific things give this novel a magical quality?
6. Which character or characters do you identify with the most?
7. How does each character (Bubbles and Feather) reveal herself over the course of the novel. At what point do your sympathies begin to change (if they do)?
8. What role does death have in this book?
9. Does Fling! remind you of any other works you’ve read?
10. How did this novel cause you to think differently about mother/daughter relationships or family dynamics?
11. How does the use of time in Fling! contribute to its magical qualities?
12. What do you think are the novel’s main themes?
13. What role does “the goddess” play in Fling!?
14. In what ways does Bubbles seem mythic or ageless? (not mythic in the sense of implausible)
15. How do the characters in Fling! subvert the stereotypes of older adults?
16. What role does the setting have in Fling!?
17. How would you describe the difference between Heather, Annie, Bubbles, and Feather?
18. What role do the men play in this novel?
19. How does Feather get educated about her mother (Bubbles)?
20. Would you classify Fling! as a coming-of-age novel? Why or why not?
21. Did anything surprise you in Fling!? Did you learn something new about being human?
Here are discussion questions for readers of Curva Peligrosa:
Discussion questions for Curva:
• Curva’s letters from the trail have a unique function in the novel. How does your understanding of Curva evolve based on these letters? What role do Curva’s letters have in the narrative? How does the Old North Trail educate Curva? What difference is there in the first and third person perspectives?
• Poems (”Bone Songs”) appear between major sections of the narrative. What is their purpose? What dimension do they add to the work?
• Sabina appears mysteriously as Curva’s daughter. How does their relationship shift over time? How would you describe their relationship? How are mother and daughter similar and different? Who is Sabina’s father?
• The Weedites collectively play an important role in Curva Peligrosa. How would you describe what they contribute? Who are your favorit
Here are discussion questions for readers of FLING!
Try to answer these questions by using examples from Fling!
1. How is magic (or supernatural elements) introduced in the novel?
2. What is its role in the narrative?
3. What kind of reading agreement has to be established between the author and the reader in order for the magical elements to work?
4. Do the magical realist devices disrupt the logic of the story or enhance it?
5. What specific things give this novel a magical quality?
6. Which character or characters do you identify with the most?
7. How does each character (Bubbles and Feather) reveal herself over the course of the novel. At what point do your sympathies begin to change (if they do)?
8. What role does death have in this book?
9. Does Fling! remind you of any other works you’ve read?
10. How did this novel cause you to think differently about mother/daughter relationships or family dynamics?
11. How does the use of time in Fling! contribute to its magical qualities?
12. What do you think are the novel’s main themes?
13. What role does “the goddess” play in Fling!?
14. In what ways does Bubbles seem mythic or ageless? (not mythic in the sense of implausible)
15. How do the characters in Fling! subvert the stereotypes of older adults?
16. What role does the setting have in Fling!?
17. How would you describe the difference between Heather, Annie, Bubbles, and Feather?
18. What role do the men play in this novel?
19. How does Feather get educated about her mother (Bubbles)?
20. Would you classify Fling! as a coming-of-age novel? Why or why not?
21. Did anything surprise you in Fling!? Did you learn something new about being human?
Here are discussion questions for readers of Curva Peligrosa:
Discussion questions for Curva:
• Curva’s letters from the trail have a unique function in the novel. How does your understanding of Curva evolve based on these letters? What role do Curva’s letters have in the narrative? How does the Old North Trail educate Curva? What difference is there in the first and third person perspectives?
• Poems (”Bone Songs”) appear between major sections of the narrative. What is their purpose? What dimension do they add to the work?
• Sabina appears mysteriously as Curva’s daughter. How does their relationship shift over time? How would you describe their relationship? How are mother and daughter similar and different? Who is Sabina’s father?
• The Weedites collectively play an important role in Curva Peligrosa. How would you describe what they contribute? Who are your favorit
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 1, 2019
A story of 4 friends the Muskrateers who have their reunion, after decades, suddenly find themselves rediscovering each other and get back to living their life with a lot of fun and camaraderie. Friendship forged in the beginning of life will remain till the end of life, and that is the fact which this book advocates strongly, even if they meet up after several years.
The story by Lily Iona MacKenzie is told in Tillie's POV. It was fun to see the 4 friends reconnecting first in Sybil's resort/mansion and later in Venice. Tillie's life then gets enriched with a romance and an expose of her artistically done nude pics by her ex. The story plays off their equation with each other and shows their love in the way they stand by each other.
The book has its niggles, style of writing is quite different from the regular women's fiction, the humor is a little quirky, it makes for a slow read.
Overall an enjoyable story.
The story by Lily Iona MacKenzie is told in Tillie's POV. It was fun to see the 4 friends reconnecting first in Sybil's resort/mansion and later in Venice. Tillie's life then gets enriched with a romance and an expose of her artistically done nude pics by her ex. The story plays off their equation with each other and shows their love in the way they stand by each other.
The book has its niggles, style of writing is quite different from the regular women's fiction, the humor is a little quirky, it makes for a slow read.
Overall an enjoyable story.
January 3, 2019
Four friends reunite to celebrate their respective sixtieth birthdays in Italy. Each woman’s life has changed dramatically since the 1960’s yet there’s still a part of their youth hidden within. While on this reunion tour, Tillie falls in love with a priest, secrets are revealed and the love these women share grow stronger so that not even death can tear them apart. Tillie, especially, takes a retrospective look at her life and when an opportunity presents itself, she must choose the right path or she may live to regret it.
Freefall: A Divine Comedy is exactly what the titles imply, a spiritual story about four women and their renewed friendships told in comedic precision. Beautifully-written with lush descriptive narration. Each character has her own backstory, personality and life experiences. The scenes in Italy were breathtaking, so much so, I closed my eyes and breathed in the Venetian smells.
While this is a women’s fiction, any reader will find this an enjoyable read. Universal truths are peppered throughout and the spiritual undertones were just the right amount. The humorous dialogue, like in all of Lily Iona MacKenzie’s books, is hilarious and spot-on. Highly recommend!
Favorite Character/Quote: Tillie. Tillie is one of those unforgettable characters, one where you secretly wish you could be as carefree as she is. Sure, she’s wacky at times but there’s so much depth to her, she’s a joy a read.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
Freefall: A Divine Comedy is exactly what the titles imply, a spiritual story about four women and their renewed friendships told in comedic precision. Beautifully-written with lush descriptive narration. Each character has her own backstory, personality and life experiences. The scenes in Italy were breathtaking, so much so, I closed my eyes and breathed in the Venetian smells.
While this is a women’s fiction, any reader will find this an enjoyable read. Universal truths are peppered throughout and the spiritual undertones were just the right amount. The humorous dialogue, like in all of Lily Iona MacKenzie’s books, is hilarious and spot-on. Highly recommend!
Favorite Character/Quote: Tillie. Tillie is one of those unforgettable characters, one where you secretly wish you could be as carefree as she is. Sure, she’s wacky at times but there’s so much depth to her, she’s a joy a read.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
October 25, 2019
Nearly 60, installation artist Tillie Bloom reunites with her three friends: Sybil, Daddy, and Moll. They converge on Sybil’s vacation home in Whistler, British Columbia after spending years apart, letting time and distance get in the way of their friendship. Faced with turning 60, they reflect on their coming of age in the ’50s and ’60s, discover what each has been up to over the years, and come face to face with a bear and survive, more or less, to tell the tale. As their reunion closes, Tillie manages to convince them to travel with her to Venice, Italy for the Biennale, hoping to find greater exposure for her art. What she and her friends find, though, ends up being a deeper understanding of themselves and each other.
I wanted so badly to understand and fall madly in love with this novel. I think I might be about 30 years too young to fully appreciate it. That isn’t to say it’s only for people around age 60, but I, in my early thirties, struggled to identify with the characters. Still, I thought it was lovely and a lot of fun. The four women are just so full of life that it’s hard to not find enjoyment reading this.
Overall, this novel felt like a reflection of lives lived. According to my favorite developmental psychologist, Erik Erikson, there comes a stage where adults reflect on their lives and feel they’ve either accomplished something worthwhile or not. I very much feel that is where this novel falls. For Tillie, she’s still trying to make it as an artist, but still spends much of the novel reflecting on her life, of how people have come and gone. She’s still looking forward to the future despite the threat of death hanging over her head. Her friends, though, have lived full or not so full lives. Daddy especially was all over the map while Moll was the exactly opposite with a very settled family life. They didn’t so much reflect in the same manner as Tillie necessarily, but seemed to spend their time reclaiming their youth. It made me feel like they weren’t completely satisfied with their lives, and much of how they talked about it fell in line with that, so were trying to break out of the chains of marriage and family in order to find their own again.
There’s a lot of flipping back to the past throughout the novel. During the first half, it was done in full chapters. In the second half, it was more often than not due to something happening in Tillie’s life that prompted a memory. I liked that it put the ladies into context, expanded their characters, and made them feel like living, breathing people. But most of it was confined to the ’50s and ’60s with some of the memories encompassing the more recent years. I would have appreciated more of a spread to really understand where each lady came from. It felt like a leap from late teen to early twenty wild young women to nearly 60 women with burdens from lives lived and death around the corner.
I did love, though, that all four ladies were quite spry. Sybil’s health was a little concerning, but she never let it get in her way. Despite being almost 60, they somehow managed to recapture their youth. Of course, age imposed some limitations, but they pushed through and almost felt like they could be my age. It was so convincing that it was jarring when their age came into play. I like to think all four of them were interesting and fun, but I really struggled to identify with them. Their experiences were fun to read about, but ended up being little more than entertainment to me. Still, I hope to be just as energetic when I’m their age.
Interwoven with the primary story of Tillie and her art, and alongside her friendship with the other three ladies, was commentary on some aspects of society, including feminism and religion. I appreciated it, especially the feminism pieces as they stretched back in time, but I also felt they were a little repetitive. Tillie mentioned several similar thoughts regarding religion in the last quarter of the book. Sometimes I became a little confused as to why it was being repeated so much and felt I had already read it. Perhaps a comment on forgetfulness as one ages? I was also disappointed when the commentary on religion overtook that of feminism. Of course, Tillie’s, er, liaison, with a priest probably had something to do with it. I prefer not to say more, but something about that relationship made me feel uncomfortable, though it did make perfect sense in the story. Perhaps I’m just not the free spirit Tillie is, and I have much work to do in my next 30 years.
Finally, I feel I must mention the overabundance of sex. Don’t worry; this isn’t a novel about geriatric sex! The ladies are all very sexual creatures. I suppose it might be because they’re products of the ’50s and ’60s? It was a little disconcerting, but, put into context, it was easier to swallow. I did appreciate that the author did drop in reminders about age as well as the pros and cons of aging and sex.
Overall, this was a thought-provoking novel with plenty of material to reflect on. The story itself felt a little simple and I was a little disappointed when Tillie’s friends took a backseat to the priest, not to mention how the novel ended, but I suppose this isn’t so much a book about a group of friends as it is a novel about one woman’s journey. The friends were just bonuses, but I was riveted by them. Sybil in particular came to life for me, so I was disappointed when I couldn’t even connect to her. I was just amused by her. Still, it offers plenty to think about, especially as we move on in years and reach those golden ages when we’ve lived full or not so full lives and death becomes a greater part of life. It was almost disturbing how death hung over the book, but it was something very real for Tillie and her friends. It helped put things into perspective, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll have similar thoughts in 30 years. And is it too much to hope for that I’ll be just as energetic at that age?
Thank you to the author, Lily Iona Mackenzie, for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
I wanted so badly to understand and fall madly in love with this novel. I think I might be about 30 years too young to fully appreciate it. That isn’t to say it’s only for people around age 60, but I, in my early thirties, struggled to identify with the characters. Still, I thought it was lovely and a lot of fun. The four women are just so full of life that it’s hard to not find enjoyment reading this.
Overall, this novel felt like a reflection of lives lived. According to my favorite developmental psychologist, Erik Erikson, there comes a stage where adults reflect on their lives and feel they’ve either accomplished something worthwhile or not. I very much feel that is where this novel falls. For Tillie, she’s still trying to make it as an artist, but still spends much of the novel reflecting on her life, of how people have come and gone. She’s still looking forward to the future despite the threat of death hanging over her head. Her friends, though, have lived full or not so full lives. Daddy especially was all over the map while Moll was the exactly opposite with a very settled family life. They didn’t so much reflect in the same manner as Tillie necessarily, but seemed to spend their time reclaiming their youth. It made me feel like they weren’t completely satisfied with their lives, and much of how they talked about it fell in line with that, so were trying to break out of the chains of marriage and family in order to find their own again.
There’s a lot of flipping back to the past throughout the novel. During the first half, it was done in full chapters. In the second half, it was more often than not due to something happening in Tillie’s life that prompted a memory. I liked that it put the ladies into context, expanded their characters, and made them feel like living, breathing people. But most of it was confined to the ’50s and ’60s with some of the memories encompassing the more recent years. I would have appreciated more of a spread to really understand where each lady came from. It felt like a leap from late teen to early twenty wild young women to nearly 60 women with burdens from lives lived and death around the corner.
I did love, though, that all four ladies were quite spry. Sybil’s health was a little concerning, but she never let it get in her way. Despite being almost 60, they somehow managed to recapture their youth. Of course, age imposed some limitations, but they pushed through and almost felt like they could be my age. It was so convincing that it was jarring when their age came into play. I like to think all four of them were interesting and fun, but I really struggled to identify with them. Their experiences were fun to read about, but ended up being little more than entertainment to me. Still, I hope to be just as energetic when I’m their age.
Interwoven with the primary story of Tillie and her art, and alongside her friendship with the other three ladies, was commentary on some aspects of society, including feminism and religion. I appreciated it, especially the feminism pieces as they stretched back in time, but I also felt they were a little repetitive. Tillie mentioned several similar thoughts regarding religion in the last quarter of the book. Sometimes I became a little confused as to why it was being repeated so much and felt I had already read it. Perhaps a comment on forgetfulness as one ages? I was also disappointed when the commentary on religion overtook that of feminism. Of course, Tillie’s, er, liaison, with a priest probably had something to do with it. I prefer not to say more, but something about that relationship made me feel uncomfortable, though it did make perfect sense in the story. Perhaps I’m just not the free spirit Tillie is, and I have much work to do in my next 30 years.
Finally, I feel I must mention the overabundance of sex. Don’t worry; this isn’t a novel about geriatric sex! The ladies are all very sexual creatures. I suppose it might be because they’re products of the ’50s and ’60s? It was a little disconcerting, but, put into context, it was easier to swallow. I did appreciate that the author did drop in reminders about age as well as the pros and cons of aging and sex.
Overall, this was a thought-provoking novel with plenty of material to reflect on. The story itself felt a little simple and I was a little disappointed when Tillie’s friends took a backseat to the priest, not to mention how the novel ended, but I suppose this isn’t so much a book about a group of friends as it is a novel about one woman’s journey. The friends were just bonuses, but I was riveted by them. Sybil in particular came to life for me, so I was disappointed when I couldn’t even connect to her. I was just amused by her. Still, it offers plenty to think about, especially as we move on in years and reach those golden ages when we’ve lived full or not so full lives and death becomes a greater part of life. It was almost disturbing how death hung over the book, but it was something very real for Tillie and her friends. It helped put things into perspective, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll have similar thoughts in 30 years. And is it too much to hope for that I’ll be just as energetic at that age?
Thank you to the author, Lily Iona Mackenzie, for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 28, 2019
Freefall: A Divine Comedy was patterned after Dante’s work in which a man traverses Hell to reach Heaven. The book brings together installation artist Tillie Bloom and her three friends, Sybil, Daddy, and Moll, all nearing the big 6-0. After many years apart, they reunite on Sybil’s place, a posh vacation home in Whistler, British Columbia. Here, they each reflect on their lives. Flashbacks provide backstory for each character and as the readers moves into the present, we see how satisfied or dissatisfied each woman is with her life.
The urgency they feel as they reach the end of their lives is heightened when, while hiking, they come face-to-face with a grizzly. As their get-together winds down, Tillie convinces her friends to travel r to Venice, Italy for the Biennale, when she hopes to finally hit it big with her art installations.
I am a woman of an age this book should appeal to and found parts of it enjoyable, in particular the use of the Black Madonna and second wave feminism during the 1960s. The women are openly sexual, not sexualized, which is nice—maybe because they are products of the Age of Aquarius. At the same time, the writing felt a bit strained, particularly towards the end when snakes, termites, and pigeons assume metaphoric aspects, and the magical-realism bits seem over-the-top. Other times, particularly during parts about religion, seemed repetitive.
The urgency they feel as they reach the end of their lives is heightened when, while hiking, they come face-to-face with a grizzly. As their get-together winds down, Tillie convinces her friends to travel r to Venice, Italy for the Biennale, when she hopes to finally hit it big with her art installations.
I am a woman of an age this book should appeal to and found parts of it enjoyable, in particular the use of the Black Madonna and second wave feminism during the 1960s. The women are openly sexual, not sexualized, which is nice—maybe because they are products of the Age of Aquarius. At the same time, the writing felt a bit strained, particularly towards the end when snakes, termites, and pigeons assume metaphoric aspects, and the magical-realism bits seem over-the-top. Other times, particularly during parts about religion, seemed repetitive.
February 12, 2019
This novel is titled after Dante’s epic poem, which describes his trip through hell to reach paradise—an apt comparison to the journey these women make in transitioning to their senior years.
Read full review in the 2019 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2019 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
June 17, 2019
The Publisher has provided a thorough story description of FREEFALL to intrigue the reader to want to read the novel. If I were to add any further events that take place in MacKenzie’s Devine Comedy, I would be doing the reader an injustice by removing the intrigue and anticipation of the story, spoiling the premise of this must-read novel. FREEFALL is written in First Person Point of View which remains consistent throughout the book and does an exceptional job of providing a clear backstory for each of MacKenzie's main characters. Whether writing about the grizzly bear, the pigeon, the snake, the termites, or the dynamic relationships of the four women who have been friends for life, MacKenzie’s unique descriptive narration entrances the reader, keeping the readers riveted throughout her story, whether writing the comedic or ruminating on aging and mortality.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, “Mary McCarthy, Anne Rivers Siddons, and a host of others have portrayed the power and value of female friendships, but no one has done it with more grace, charm, talent, and power than Rebecca Wells does in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.” However, this was before Lily Iona MacKenzie introduces us to the power and value of four-lifetime female friendships in FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy.
FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy is reminiscent of Dante’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy. MacKenzie cleverly shows the similarity of Dante and the four-lifetime friends on a spiritual life journey, Dante’s journey from hell to paradise and the women’s journey through their lives. MacKenzie also cleverly inserts symbolic likenesses. Dante’s path through the forest is blocked by a leopard, lion and a she-wolf. A grizzly bear blocks the four-lifetime friends' way through the forest, and they encounter multiple additional animals and creatures on their journey. Both Dante’s journey, as well as the four women’s journey allegorically, represent the soul's journey to their ending, whether that be God, heaven or the aging process which will eventually end in death. Multiple themes are present in both Dante’s The Divine Comedy and MacKenzies’s FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy. Aside from the symbology of the animals, there are also many allegorical and philosophical likenesses, e.g., the spiritual journeys of self-discovery, adventure, art, religion, human nature, darkness, and mortality. MacKenzie renders the semblance of Dante’s poem and her novel while weaving humor throughout her novel.
If you have not read Dante’s The Divine Comedy, you won’t pick up on the allegorical and symbolic likenesses. However, you may find yourself in your philosophical place as you journey with the four-lifetime friends as they share their experiences while traversing their spiritual journey which is turning sixty, and their desires of accomplishment before they enter the darkness.
To see my complete review of FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy, visit https://dbmoone.com/2019/06/17/book-r...
The Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, “Mary McCarthy, Anne Rivers Siddons, and a host of others have portrayed the power and value of female friendships, but no one has done it with more grace, charm, talent, and power than Rebecca Wells does in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.” However, this was before Lily Iona MacKenzie introduces us to the power and value of four-lifetime female friendships in FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy.
FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy is reminiscent of Dante’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy. MacKenzie cleverly shows the similarity of Dante and the four-lifetime friends on a spiritual life journey, Dante’s journey from hell to paradise and the women’s journey through their lives. MacKenzie also cleverly inserts symbolic likenesses. Dante’s path through the forest is blocked by a leopard, lion and a she-wolf. A grizzly bear blocks the four-lifetime friends' way through the forest, and they encounter multiple additional animals and creatures on their journey. Both Dante’s journey, as well as the four women’s journey allegorically, represent the soul's journey to their ending, whether that be God, heaven or the aging process which will eventually end in death. Multiple themes are present in both Dante’s The Divine Comedy and MacKenzies’s FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy. Aside from the symbology of the animals, there are also many allegorical and philosophical likenesses, e.g., the spiritual journeys of self-discovery, adventure, art, religion, human nature, darkness, and mortality. MacKenzie renders the semblance of Dante’s poem and her novel while weaving humor throughout her novel.
If you have not read Dante’s The Divine Comedy, you won’t pick up on the allegorical and symbolic likenesses. However, you may find yourself in your philosophical place as you journey with the four-lifetime friends as they share their experiences while traversing their spiritual journey which is turning sixty, and their desires of accomplishment before they enter the darkness.
To see my complete review of FREEFALL: A Divine Comedy, visit https://dbmoone.com/2019/06/17/book-r...
October 8, 2018
I was drawn in by the cover and the title. After I read the summary, I had no choice but to give it a read.
The story follows Tillie and her three friends. They have been friends for many, many years. Like everyone, Life can get in the way and they drift apart for a while. They decide to get together for a 4-day reunion. We get to see them in the 50s and 60s and more recently. It was fun to see how they have changed.
I liked Tillie. She was an interesting character. It was fun to her morph and change throughout the stories. It was cute the little romance she gets. He was fun. I liked him a lot. A very unique character indeed.
The rest of the girls were fun to read about too. The name Daddy bugged me though. I kept thinking that someone's dad was there. However, I think Daddy was one of my favorites of the girls. I liked them all, don't get me wrong, but she was intriguing and she made me chuckle.
I enjoyed the jumping between time. It was done well and I never got lost or confused. It was a good way to learn and understand our girls. I always get a little worried, but it worked well.
It did take a bit for me to really get into the story. The beginning dragged a little bit. However, once we really got to the meat and potatoes of learning about the girls was when I got into the story fully. It was worth the wait for sure!
Overall, I liked it. It was a nice people story. The friends were interesting and it was fun learning about their pasts and what they grew to be. Tillie is our main character, but her friends certainly took the spotlight from time-to-time. It was fun! I recommend this to anyone who likes a good people story. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.
The story follows Tillie and her three friends. They have been friends for many, many years. Like everyone, Life can get in the way and they drift apart for a while. They decide to get together for a 4-day reunion. We get to see them in the 50s and 60s and more recently. It was fun to see how they have changed.
I liked Tillie. She was an interesting character. It was fun to her morph and change throughout the stories. It was cute the little romance she gets. He was fun. I liked him a lot. A very unique character indeed.
The rest of the girls were fun to read about too. The name Daddy bugged me though. I kept thinking that someone's dad was there. However, I think Daddy was one of my favorites of the girls. I liked them all, don't get me wrong, but she was intriguing and she made me chuckle.
I enjoyed the jumping between time. It was done well and I never got lost or confused. It was a good way to learn and understand our girls. I always get a little worried, but it worked well.
It did take a bit for me to really get into the story. The beginning dragged a little bit. However, once we really got to the meat and potatoes of learning about the girls was when I got into the story fully. It was worth the wait for sure!
Overall, I liked it. It was a nice people story. The friends were interesting and it was fun learning about their pasts and what they grew to be. Tillie is our main character, but her friends certainly took the spotlight from time-to-time. It was fun! I recommend this to anyone who likes a good people story. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.
October 30, 2018
I absolutely loved ‘Freefall’! I couldn't stop laughing at Tillie and her friends. This was a very well-constructed story that was also really hilarious. I definitely need to read more from this author because I appreciated how beautiful her writing was on top of it being funny but also with a touch of magical realism. This book digs into the deeper meaning of relationships and life.
I don't want to spoil anything about the main plot because I truly think you should read this one for yourself but I will list some of my favorite moments so that you can get a taste of what you can expect from the book.
I died laughing at the part with Tillie and the pigeon. Basically, she sees a pigeon and assumes that a former lover of hers who died has reincarnated in the pigeon. Tillie was my favorite character and this is the kind of thing that I feel like describes her character perfectly. She's just a complete firecracker. I also loved the part in the art gallery when Tillie finds out that the showing is of her former lover's naked pictures of her. I loved her reaction!
The dynamic between all of the women was another favorite part for me. I loved how they played off of each other. They reminded me so much of how my friends and I would be if we went on an Italian vacation together. Daddy, in particular was great. I felt like I could picture her perfectly.
I would recommend this book to anyone reading this review, even if funny books or books about a group of older women aren't your normal fare. This is the kind of book that exceeds your expectations in many ways and I promise you'll laugh through the whole thing. I read a lot of books but I've never read one quite like this. I really appreciated the author's sense of humor and writing style. 5 stars!
I don't want to spoil anything about the main plot because I truly think you should read this one for yourself but I will list some of my favorite moments so that you can get a taste of what you can expect from the book.
I died laughing at the part with Tillie and the pigeon. Basically, she sees a pigeon and assumes that a former lover of hers who died has reincarnated in the pigeon. Tillie was my favorite character and this is the kind of thing that I feel like describes her character perfectly. She's just a complete firecracker. I also loved the part in the art gallery when Tillie finds out that the showing is of her former lover's naked pictures of her. I loved her reaction!
The dynamic between all of the women was another favorite part for me. I loved how they played off of each other. They reminded me so much of how my friends and I would be if we went on an Italian vacation together. Daddy, in particular was great. I felt like I could picture her perfectly.
I would recommend this book to anyone reading this review, even if funny books or books about a group of older women aren't your normal fare. This is the kind of book that exceeds your expectations in many ways and I promise you'll laugh through the whole thing. I read a lot of books but I've never read one quite like this. I really appreciated the author's sense of humor and writing style. 5 stars!
November 19, 2018
Freefall is a fictional tale about Tillie, an aspiring artist. She decides to reunite with her friends and after an accident while hiking; they become closer and decide to travel to Italy in order to celebrate the millennium.
While Tillie decides to use the opportunity to advance her self with her artwork, she falls in love with a dashing priest, and that is when the story takes an interesting turn. The journey then becomes a self-discovery one embodying the beautiful side of friendship, feminism, love, and adventure.
I particularly enjoyed the journey through the countries and how descriptive the writing was. It felt as if the reader was moving with the characters and experiencing the environment as they read it. From San Francisco to Whistler to B.C. and then Italy, it was a beautiful voyage covering an exciting recitation.
There was a tremendous amount of humor dominating the content, which was delightful to read. Tillies’ characters were very funny, and her relationship with her friends created a very funny dynamic dialogue, enticing you not to put the book down.
I recommend this book to people that enjoy humor, fiction, and just a good read.
While Tillie decides to use the opportunity to advance her self with her artwork, she falls in love with a dashing priest, and that is when the story takes an interesting turn. The journey then becomes a self-discovery one embodying the beautiful side of friendship, feminism, love, and adventure.
I particularly enjoyed the journey through the countries and how descriptive the writing was. It felt as if the reader was moving with the characters and experiencing the environment as they read it. From San Francisco to Whistler to B.C. and then Italy, it was a beautiful voyage covering an exciting recitation.
There was a tremendous amount of humor dominating the content, which was delightful to read. Tillies’ characters were very funny, and her relationship with her friends created a very funny dynamic dialogue, enticing you not to put the book down.
I recommend this book to people that enjoy humor, fiction, and just a good read.
February 28, 2020
Freefall really hit home for me. Perhaps because I am of a similar age to the four ladies at the center of the story. I understand the longing for the simple freedoms of youth while staring down the specter of death. The desire to have one last grand attempt at leaving your mark upon the world versus reveling in your current life and family legacy.
There are many lessons to be learned through the words, deeds, and humor of this book. If you read it, be prepared to contemplate your life. It has that type of effect on you.
Please don’t think Freefall is only a darkly thought-provoking story. The author manages to fill the story with unique, over-the-top humor.
I’m impressed with the depth of each character, including the pigeon. You won’t be disappointed if you pick up a copy of this book. The questions at the end make it perfect for a book club discussion.
There are many lessons to be learned through the words, deeds, and humor of this book. If you read it, be prepared to contemplate your life. It has that type of effect on you.
Please don’t think Freefall is only a darkly thought-provoking story. The author manages to fill the story with unique, over-the-top humor.
I’m impressed with the depth of each character, including the pigeon. You won’t be disappointed if you pick up a copy of this book. The questions at the end make it perfect for a book club discussion.
October 17, 2018
Freefall is a fast-paced read that is sure to draw you in from the beginning and hold your attention until the very end. The characters are realatable, realistic, and have interesting backstories. MacKenzie writes with a loving touch and a tender voice while creating a world unlike any other. Freefall is a lovely read that is perfect for anyone who loves to get lost within the pages.
April 26, 2020
What I loved about this book was the philosophical engine driving the artistic process of the artist at the center of the story. Grizzly bears and gondolas? A wild ride between worlds, unpredictable twists, and a mishmash of friendship that spans time and culture with undeniable flair. A really fun read for someone who can't get enough Venice!!!
October 1, 2019
Won this book in a good reads give away, thank you. . This is a fast pace read yet packed with heart and humor and life. The synopsis is all you need to read to get hooked.
April 20, 2019
Old friends, the Four Musketeers, reunite in a lovely mountain home in Whistler, Canada hosted by their cigarette smoking, skin-and-bones former glamorous girlfriend. The four women, now faced with the spectre of age, meet after many years and continue their lively adventures: drinking, skiing, and partying together, as former tensions from their betrayals melt into the background of pine trees and snow-capped mountains. To celebrate their sixtieth birthdays they go to Venice, a romantic and lovely city that enlivens the novel with parties, love affairs, and more fun.
Lily Iona MacKenzie is an excellent author, using descriptions that excite readers with sensuality and her unique style of realism. She writes in a bold stream of consciousness that transports readers to differing time zones. Therein lies her talent, but also the difficulty of the book. Being transported in and out of time times is a difficult task for most readers, because actions and moods get dropped for new and old places, driven by remembrances weaved into the quest for new adventures.
As an author, MacKenziee is original, daring, and she renders her writing with a tight execution. Her animal symbols infuse the book with intrigue, and her lovers come alive, even the one who left the earthly plane, because she breathes life into them with her passionate dalliances and powerful memories. Underlying her book however, is the theme of life’s pathos: aging and dying. Her description of the Black Madonna increases the book's sense of impending doom, even as the novel continues to titillate and tease with the likes of Bud, Bif, and Frank haunting the pages with their male prowess.
Lily Iona MacKenzie is an excellent author, using descriptions that excite readers with sensuality and her unique style of realism. She writes in a bold stream of consciousness that transports readers to differing time zones. Therein lies her talent, but also the difficulty of the book. Being transported in and out of time times is a difficult task for most readers, because actions and moods get dropped for new and old places, driven by remembrances weaved into the quest for new adventures.
As an author, MacKenziee is original, daring, and she renders her writing with a tight execution. Her animal symbols infuse the book with intrigue, and her lovers come alive, even the one who left the earthly plane, because she breathes life into them with her passionate dalliances and powerful memories. Underlying her book however, is the theme of life’s pathos: aging and dying. Her description of the Black Madonna increases the book's sense of impending doom, even as the novel continues to titillate and tease with the likes of Bud, Bif, and Frank haunting the pages with their male prowess.
May 14, 2020
When four female friends, all baby boomers, unite in Canada after a long hiatus among them, the drama escalates. Artist Tillie Bloom is fearful of what the others might think of her in present day, but she quickly shelves that anxiety when she discovers they all have their stories.
Soon, the gals all decide to go to Venice, Italy, on a holiday and that’s when the craziness kicks up! Tillie is mesmerized by the city’s art scene, her dreams and visions, a priest’s powerful influence, and signs from the dead. She’s there to reinforce her artistic ambitions and is not disappointed. She realizes, in the culmination, that the trip is a lesson in awakening.
This tale is full of revelations, surprises, and heartaches. However, one apprehends from it all that starting over is never too late.
Soon, the gals all decide to go to Venice, Italy, on a holiday and that’s when the craziness kicks up! Tillie is mesmerized by the city’s art scene, her dreams and visions, a priest’s powerful influence, and signs from the dead. She’s there to reinforce her artistic ambitions and is not disappointed. She realizes, in the culmination, that the trip is a lesson in awakening.
This tale is full of revelations, surprises, and heartaches. However, one apprehends from it all that starting over is never too late.
January 5, 2021
Reading Freefall is like stepping into one of TIllie's, the main character's, art installations. You're immersed, challenged even, and confronted with the feminist spirit of the 60s and its iterations across physical borders and different time periods. As the four "Muskrateers" come to terms with who they were and what they've become, both individually and collectively, they all discover no one's ever too old to come of age. While I'm not the target audience for this book, it is well written with riveting (though mature) imagery and several scenes that were indeed divinely comedic. If the synopsis intrigues you, give it a try!
November 20, 2019
What Made Me Read It I was sent a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The author described it as a "narrative [that] fits the literary fiction/magic realism category and zeroes in on a fundamental truth: we’re all in freefall, and that’s the real divine comedy. No matter how old we are, we’re still trying to “find ourselves” and discover what we want out of life".
The Plot Tillie is a struggling installation artist fast approaching her 60th birthday, just out of a toxic relationship with a deranged egocentric photographer and frightened of a looming impoverished old age. After a disturbing dream with one of her old friends and feeling the need to reclaim her roots and her youth, Tillie agrees to a 4-day reunion with her friends from the '50s - the Muskrateers: Daddy, a former radical feminist and hippie turned successful real estate saleswoman; Moll, a dedicated housewife, mother and grandmother with a passion for the Canadian outdoors; Sibyl, a chain smoker bookkeeper with a nose for business, an addition to 4000-piece puzzles and a spot in her lungs.
After a scary encounter with a grizzly bear and desperate to achieve international recognition as an artist before the turning of the millennium, Tillie convinces her friends to go to Italy and crash the Biennale, Venice's major art show, hoping to get enough exposure and publicity on her current installation project to find a wealthy sponsor... a journey that will allow Tillie to reinvent herself in more ways than one.
The Good "Freefall" is a literary fiction novel set in 1999 Whistler, B.C. and Venice, Italy. In the late '50s, 4 young women from Calgary calling themselves the Muskrateers - Tillie, Daddy, Sibyl and Moll - journey to the big city looking for adventure and hoping to find rich men to take care of them. Overwhelmed by the night life of Toronto and intoxicated by their new freedom, the 4 friends end up going their separate ways, reconnecting 40 years later. Reunited by their shared histories, experiences and intimacies, the 4 women decide to go on a trip to Venice as a way to shake up their predictable lives and help Tillie crash an art show biennale and launch her artistic projects internationally before she turns 60. An unexpected encounter with Father Lazarus, a radical and non-conformist priest, strange visions of the Black Madonna and a very persistent pigeon named Bird are the agents that will shake Tillie's world and beliefs.
The novel is mostly a character study of the 4 friends, with a slow pacing and a thought provoking narrative as each of the 4 women reevaluates their lives and hopes for the future. Part one of the book focus on the reunion of the Muskrateers in Whistler, B.C. where they reconnect and reminiscence about their youth in Toronto, the choices they've made and the lives they ended up with. The second part of the novel is set in Venice, with vivid descriptions of the colors, scents and life of this city. The plot takes a more bizarre and surreal turn with Tillie's journey of self-discovery through philosophical musings about life and the human condition, relationships and sex, religion and the catholic church, death and afterlife, and the very nature of perceived reality.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 3 of 5 stars. "Freefall" is a thought-provoking literary fiction and character study novel set in modern days Whistler B.C. and Venice, with a few memory trips to the late '50s and early '60s Toronto and San Francisco. Recommended for those who enjoy women's fiction about fellowship and self-discovery with reflections on the meaning of life, death and sex.
The Plot Tillie is a struggling installation artist fast approaching her 60th birthday, just out of a toxic relationship with a deranged egocentric photographer and frightened of a looming impoverished old age. After a disturbing dream with one of her old friends and feeling the need to reclaim her roots and her youth, Tillie agrees to a 4-day reunion with her friends from the '50s - the Muskrateers: Daddy, a former radical feminist and hippie turned successful real estate saleswoman; Moll, a dedicated housewife, mother and grandmother with a passion for the Canadian outdoors; Sibyl, a chain smoker bookkeeper with a nose for business, an addition to 4000-piece puzzles and a spot in her lungs.
After a scary encounter with a grizzly bear and desperate to achieve international recognition as an artist before the turning of the millennium, Tillie convinces her friends to go to Italy and crash the Biennale, Venice's major art show, hoping to get enough exposure and publicity on her current installation project to find a wealthy sponsor... a journey that will allow Tillie to reinvent herself in more ways than one.
The Good "Freefall" is a literary fiction novel set in 1999 Whistler, B.C. and Venice, Italy. In the late '50s, 4 young women from Calgary calling themselves the Muskrateers - Tillie, Daddy, Sibyl and Moll - journey to the big city looking for adventure and hoping to find rich men to take care of them. Overwhelmed by the night life of Toronto and intoxicated by their new freedom, the 4 friends end up going their separate ways, reconnecting 40 years later. Reunited by their shared histories, experiences and intimacies, the 4 women decide to go on a trip to Venice as a way to shake up their predictable lives and help Tillie crash an art show biennale and launch her artistic projects internationally before she turns 60. An unexpected encounter with Father Lazarus, a radical and non-conformist priest, strange visions of the Black Madonna and a very persistent pigeon named Bird are the agents that will shake Tillie's world and beliefs.
The novel is mostly a character study of the 4 friends, with a slow pacing and a thought provoking narrative as each of the 4 women reevaluates their lives and hopes for the future. Part one of the book focus on the reunion of the Muskrateers in Whistler, B.C. where they reconnect and reminiscence about their youth in Toronto, the choices they've made and the lives they ended up with. The second part of the novel is set in Venice, with vivid descriptions of the colors, scents and life of this city. The plot takes a more bizarre and surreal turn with Tillie's journey of self-discovery through philosophical musings about life and the human condition, relationships and sex, religion and the catholic church, death and afterlife, and the very nature of perceived reality.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 3 of 5 stars. "Freefall" is a thought-provoking literary fiction and character study novel set in modern days Whistler B.C. and Venice, with a few memory trips to the late '50s and early '60s Toronto and San Francisco. Recommended for those who enjoy women's fiction about fellowship and self-discovery with reflections on the meaning of life, death and sex.
February 24, 2022
2.5 stars, I wanted to like this book. The women in it are former hippies, radicals and artists. They are friends from their youth who have drifted apart and come together. They are interesting and unique.The work is set mostly in Venice which is beautiful and a bit otherworldly. So what is the problem? Ms. MacKenzie wanted (I think) to write something that had deeper meaning and somehow related to The Divine Comedy. That boxed the story in to a certain set of circumstances which did not allow full exploration of the character's inner lives and motives. Yet, I did enjoy that work. It is an easy read. It would be great for a vacation or plane ride.
November 15, 2021
I finished this book thinking I should have liked it better. Even though I am of a similar age as the for women, I didn't connect with any of them. Some parts were really good, especially the first part in Whistler, and some of the descriptions of Venice are beautiful and took me off on a Google tour. I may just have been in the wrong mood to read this and I see how it could have been funny but felt the musings on death and regret overwhelmed the humor.
December 1, 2019
This book started out with the interesting premise of four aging women friends reuniting at a point of their lives when each is coping with some dissatisfaction or restlessness. It had me at first but then they moved on to Venice and it seemed to go off track from there. I somehow had the feeling that much of the rest of the story was over my head. Perhaps if I were more familiar with original Divine Comedy I would have understood it better.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
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