Fall 2019 Edition
Alumni & Friends Magazine
Brides in the Sky
Relationships, especially ones framed by ideas of sisterhood, are at the heart of Brides in the Sky, a new collection of stories by Cary Holladay.
By Jeff Kallet | October 21, 2019
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In the title story, , set in 1854, two close sisters become further entwined after marrying two brothers. When this tight-knit group decides to strike west on the Oregon Trail, they form new relationships with fellow travelers, some from other countries, some from other states.
As the wagon train slowly moves west, Holladay reimagines what has become a mythic American journey. At a key juncture in the trip, an unforeseen decision takes place involving a charismatic male leader. Itās an almost casual, spur of the moment action, yet one that will forever haunt one of the sisters.
āThe sistersā trek isnāt just a journey across the continent,ā says Holladay, professor and coordinator of creative writing at the University of Memphis. āTheir relationship is on a voyage, too, changing under the influence of their new husbands, their fellow travelers, and the struggles on the Trail.ā
In another story, āShades,ā weāre in what could be the present day with a completely different notion of sisterhood: a sorority house during pledge week. Again, the story focuses on two young women. One of them, Natalie, also possesses a mysterious air others find attractive. Yet despite the allure, her loyalty is called into question by other sisters, especially Roma, a leader whose life seems consumed by love for the sorority.
The story opens with Natalie picking up barbecue from a restaurant for a major sorority function. She returns not just with food, butāastoundinglyāwith a young boy and a made-up story about their relationship. Roma, who senses Natalieās untrustworthiness, realizes the gravity of the situation, but allows the nightās festivities to proceed with the boy still in the house. As with āBrides in the Sky,ā a decisive moment threatens to forever alter the life that follows.
āOne person can have a seismic effect on others,ā Holladay notes. āWhen I started writing āShades,ā I thought the story was about Natalieās impulsive decision to kidnap a child. Then Roma stepped in and took over. The story is about whatās in Romaās heartāher yearning, her powerful sense of what the future will bring. I write to explore these mysteries.ā
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