“Bridges of Madison County”
The Bridges of Madison County is a novel and best-seller by author Robert James Waller. I saw Bridges of Madison County on DVD, but the book left even more of an impact. It’s written in a poetic and captivating way.
Clint Eastwood not only starred with Meryl Streep, but also produced and directed the movie. Both of their characters were brought to life vividly in the book. Waller did an amazing job with his writing and his words created vivid imagery as well as emotional depth.
Francesca is of Italian descent and wife of a farmer. Her life is simple and generally happy, but in ways, she longs for more. Robert Kincaid is a photographer and has been sent to Madison County, Iowa to do a photo shoot of covered bridges for National Geographic magazine.
Robert stops at Francesca’s home to ask for directions to Roseman Bridge. Her husband and children are away at the state fair. She decides to go with Robert to show him where the bridge is and later offers an invitation to join her for dinner. As they get to know each other, something awakens within both of them. In just a few days, they find a profound love many never experience in a lifetime.
Francesca and Robert could easily be seen as opposites…she, a simple housewife and mother and he, the more adventurous and free-spirited type. Yet, there’s a common bond that consumes them both.
Francesca is aware her feelings for Robert go against her values, yet with him, she becomes complete and is allowed to let her true self out. Her heart is painfully torn between what she wants and what she knows she cannot have. Can she leave her husband and children and forget the man who has captured every fiber of her being?
Francesca’s family didn’t know about the affair until after her death. Her grown children discovered journals, which held her secrets and are stunned and angry at first, yet left deeply moved. In the end, something stirs inside of both and leads them to make changes in their own lives.
Robert once told Francesca, “This kind of certainty comes but once in a lifetime”. The certainty of their love transcended even their deaths. Some will see this book only as an illicit affair and some will dig deeper. I give a 5 out of 5 star rating.