Milk was not my first experience reading Darcey Steinke’s work. I read Suicide Blonde by Steinke back in 2008, and adored it, so I was thrilled about reading another book with her mesmerizing ideas and fluid writing style. Milk is about the intersecting lives of three characters: Mary, new mother, who has some personal and emotional problems; John, a former monk, who seeks the pleasure of a woman’s flesh; and Walter, an Episcopal priest, who struggles with his homosexual desires. Milk combines religion and sexuality in a way that enthralls the reader. Normally, books that have religious connotations don’t appeal to me, but Milk isn’t preachy. It merely relays the story of these three characters, and how religion factors into their lives and situations.The characters in Milk were hypnotic in their tragic “lost” nature. They were vulnerable and flawed in a way that made it easy to connect with them because they were all ultimately searching for happiness and a place where they felt they belonged. While I enjoyed Milk thoroughly, I do feel like it could have been expanded upon. It was only a brief snippet of each character’s life and it ended without feeling finished. I was left wondering what would happen next in their live because nothing felt solidly concluded. Instead, it felt much more like a beginning.I’d recommend Milk beyond a doubt to anyone who has enjoyed other works by Steinke, or to anyone who is looking for an exploration of sexuality and spirituality.
If you're a Mad Men fan, you'll probably like this book. Follows the exploits of Mary, a religious-or-legitimately-crazy mother, John, a lost-faith-to-lust monk, and Walter, a failing, gay pastor. The events of their world are given in each character’s specific point of view, filling in their lives and telling how and why they interact with others the way they do. What is to be discovered is a painful decline of the self matched in detail with a new-dressed, wintry season culling sunlight from their desired choices and change. Sounds interesting, right?First, this is a character study: the plot is thin. The book has four chapters each focusing on one of the above characters. Second, spirituality resides in description; paraphrasing: "I was having sex and it felt like a tiny god." Third, spirituality resides in the connection: there's a priest and a monk in the story (the rabbi was at the bar... sorry I couldn't help myself)Being interested in plot/language, the descriptions felt like a two-year old in a toy room; sometimes hitting brilliance other times... a groan that took a while to clean up. Without a strong plot, the language used is key in holding the book together and struggles with the challenge.Character-wise, each is given a set of curiosities creating conflict. The book is less about solutions as much as sharing what each one is. This is what may hold the most interest.
What do You think about Milk (2007)?
“I understand my soul is like a piece of God implanted in me, and while it’s the same substance as God, it’s much more cloudy because it’s so hard to be human.” --I'm not sure what I could write that would better entice you to read Steinke's Milk than that quotation from the brief novel. But I will add a warning of sorts: Milk, despite its title, does not offer a big-eyed, happy approach to religion. When I assigned this book as a reading several years ago, one student told me she threw it against her dorm room wall. Milk, it strikes me, approaches religions with the same intensity that Flannery O'Connor did in her short stories and novels. That should be warning enough. It strikes me that Ms. Steinke's novel and approach to religion is one of longing. Of longing in the persistent face of absence, and this absence comes not only from a non-answering God, but from mis-communicating people interacitng with/against one another.A fine, fast read--a one-nighter--that will challenge your spirituality.
—Joe
I saw this little book on the library shelf while looking for another title on a Saturday afternoon. On my way home from the library I stopped at one of my favorite bars, one that gets good afternoon sunlight, and read the whole thing. On Sunday I reread my favorite parts. Today, Monday, I bought a copy on Amazon.This is not a fun read. Everything is struggle, even (sometimes) joy. The story captures a couple months in the lives of a few people who live with as much awareness of their own and others' flaws and perfections as anyone can. Maybe it is this awareness that makes even their joy somehow earned, which is no less real than the unexpected, unearned kind. I may read it again this Saturday.
—G. Marie
