"Bound"

The word “bound” is the title of Antonya Nelson’s new novel, “Bound” (Bloomsbury, 2010); it is also a word that evokes various images and responses. The multiple meanings of the word in this novel include the connections among characters, the connections of characters to their dogs (prominent in the story), the parallel story in the newspapers about the Wichita serial killer BTK (“bind, torture, kill”), and the way the characters are bound/limited/compelled by their own histories, economic and social backgrounds, and psychological traits. The main characters are childhood friends Misty and Catherine, who bond as teenagers from very different backgrounds; Catherine’s husband Oliver; and Misty’s teenage daughter Cattie (short for Catherine; she has been named after her mother’s best friend). There are also various ex-wives, stepchildren, friends, and traveling companions. Misty dies in a car accident early in the novel; Cattie disappears from sight for a while; and Catherine is notified that although she and Misty have been out of touch for years, Misty has named her in her will as Cattie’s guardian. All of the characters are a mixture of “lost” and “found.” As the various strands of the novel come together, there is loss, adultery, affection, worry, reunion, and more. Yet somehow the overall feeling of the novel, despite some deep sadness, is positive and life-affirming. Despite some straying and some selfish impulses, the characters eventually come through for each other.