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As a 1985 graduate of the prestigious West Point Military Academy, author Susan Spieth retained the indelible mark of becoming a member of the "Long Gray Line." With that lasting impression she now transports readers to an equally memorable experience in this fictional work that juxtaposes men and women in the military, against the longstanding traditions of honor. At the center of the novel is Jan Wishart, a first year cadet struggling within the regimented confines of an "old boys'" establishment, relatively new to admitting female candidates. Expectedly, several upperclassmen seem hell-bent on calling Wishart out on every infraction, often leaving her to question why she's there.
As the story opens, Wishart is on trial for two Honor Code violations. Spieth aptly holds our attention by alternating between these questionable proceedings playing out over a few days, and events that take place throughout the cadet's plebe year. Capitalizing on the gray world theme, Spieth engulfs readers in the morning mists, historic buildings and grounds, uniforms, and even the standard issued "gray girl" comforters. Interests are held throughout with intersecting storylines. While a sexual assault on a female cadet offers ultimate revelations that keep us guessing until the final pages, we also view Wishart finding friendship and solace through correspondence with a secret "spiritual pen-pal."
Spieth is clearly attuned to opportunities where Wishart seems held to a different standard. She suffers a derogatory cadence during a running exercise, then later when exceeding her fitness goals is once again undermined for her achievement. Trumped-up weight limitations have her segregated to the Mess Hall diet table, while a blueberry pie incident plagues her to the point where repercussions play out in a dream. Here, as throughout the book, italicized narrative reveals Wishart's inner thoughts.
The author succinctly renders the nuance of the male/female dichotomy in an aftermath moment, when a Lieutenant General suggests Wishart's resignation. In a solid counterpoint she asks, "Sir, what would you advise if we were your sons?" As honorable consequences are not always black & white, Spieth's work ultimately sheds a knowing light on the tonal variations that often fall in between. "Hoorah" to the Gray Girl.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review