The Marriage of Anna Maye Potts

The Marriage of Anna Maye Potts by DeWitt Henry
6/15/24; 282 pages, rerelease
Pierian Springs Press 

The Marriage of Anna Maye Potts by DeWitt Henry is a very highly recommended literary character driven novel.

After her mother died Anna Maye Potts stayed and took care of the home and her elderly father while working her job at Manville’s chocolates in Philadelphia. She's worked hard at Manville and after 18 years there is now a supervisor of her department. Now 36 years-old, Anna and her sister inherit the house together after their father passed away. Her sister moves in with her husband and two daughters and immediately works on getting Anna out of the house.

A longtime co-worker of Anna, Louie Miscello, is a womanizer with an ill wife, who dies from cancer, and a special needs daughter. He often confides in Anna, sharing his struggles and fears. The two have a friendship that turns into a relationship and marriage, which brings new difficulties.

The writing is excellent. The Marriage of Anna Maye Potts is a deep dive into the inner life of the various characters. Chapters present the personal inner voices of each character, making them all fully realized, believable individuals. They may not all be likable, but their inner thoughts and motives are all laid out for the reader. This approach also allows for a close examination of the inner growth of each character as they handle the various difficulties life throws at them.

This is a great choice for readers who appreciate and enjoy literary character driven novels. It is not fast moving, but carefully follows the transformation of various characters. Originally published in 2001 the novel is being re-released on 6/15/24 by Pierian Springs Press. Thanks to Pierian Springs Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.