The reader is drawn into the story right off by being plunged into the conflict by the very first line. The story proceeds with a chain of causes and effects. Each event sets off another. Because of the complex nature of the characters, there is ever an element of surprise. Lizzy’s nemesis Elinora, in particular, keeps things moving with her unpredictable actions and reactions. Occasionally the cause and effect connection seems contrived, like Jose’s decision to stay after Lizzy writes a letter to her father. The foreshadowing is deft and subtle, though. tThe events and characters are many and varied. A few are inserted only to bring the time period alive, including characters such as the folk hero Jesse James and Indian warrior-revolutionary Lozen, and events such as an Indian’s visit to the wagon train and the lynching of a prisoner. All the characters mentioned are made to serve a purpose, though.tFor most part, the events are all tied together by the common theme of faith and how it enriches one’s life. Faith in God is not dwelt upon so much by the protagonist, however, as faith in people. Lizzy’s struggle to have faith in her father, to believe that he cares about her, is the heart of the novel. tHer relationship with her father can be seen as symbolic of a person’s relationship with God. The father talks very little and does not reveal his plans to his child. He is concerned for her, wants her to learn, and provides for her, but he is unseen and mysterious. The analogy is not pushed in our face, however. Those uncomfortable with such symbolism can ignore it. Whether this symbolism is intentional or not, it is wise of the author to focus on the issue of having faith in people, especially in parents, since faith in God has its foundation in this.tThe four adults who become Lizzy’s confidants each show her different ways of practicing their faith. Her favorite nun Sister Roberta is the practical one, interpreting Catholic doctrine according to the situation. A Martha figure, she takes an active role in looking after people’s physical needs and. Mrs. Lacey is focused on finding inner peace through atonement for her sins. She is impulsively friendly and generous, acting mainly on her feelings. The Bishop is concerned with reconciling God’s teachings, justice, and the greater good. Jose simply does as he is commanded to and accepts the way life works. These sincere ways of living the faith transcend the petty superstitious practices of her classmates and the narrow-minded, inconsistent attitude of the Mother Superior. Thus, though the use of Lizzy’s one-sided viewpoint requires the expression of harsh criticism of Catholics in general, the book still manages to show the goodness of sincere religious people, especially Catholics.tIt can be seen that Lizzy is inconsistent, critical of others but unaware of the same fault in herself. This, along with her defiance to authority and resentment of her father, makes her a typical teenager. Perhaps she seems a little modern, but her casual upbringing as a doted-upon only child and the influence of her rough uncle make this plausible. The fact that she seems modern in her attitude is an asset since it makes it easier for contemporary young adults to identify with her, especially since she faces problems that they can relate with like struggles with identity and social bullying as well as with faith. Her modern outlook makes it possible for her to resolve her issues with faith in a way that a contemporary teenager would be comfortable with. tThat this story of a crisis in faith is set in the late nineteenth century is appropriate despite the generally simple religious attitudes of the time. This shows that the questioning of God and religion is a timeless adolescent crisis. That the outspoken expression of it and reasoned attempts to resolve it were unusual at the time only makes Lizzy’s conflict more dramatic. The time setting also allows for an unusual but poetic resolution: The teenager who has lost her mother and resented her father comes of age by becoming a surrogate parent. tThe book does not revise the folk story of the miraculous staircase, it adds to it. That the staircase was built through a miracle seems plausible given that the method of building is unique and the wood unavailable in the area. The main argument for the rational against it being a miracle would be why St. Joseph would perform a miracle just for the sake of completing a chapel when there are more worthy prayers that go unanswered. The story behind the story created by the author validates the miracle by giving a worthy motivation for it. tAll in all, The Staircase is a skillfully written historical novel. Some period details seem unnecessarily dwelt on, such as the Indian in the camp and the lynching of a prisoner. Others are not so smoothly blended in: Sister Roberta’s description of the staircase sounds contrived, more like something said by a tour guide rather than the character. But the main character and her conflict fit the setting perfectly, and the novel gives us a refreshing look at nineteenth-century America by presenting a part of the U.S. that is rarely depicted in historical fiction. It does not romanticize, showing the hardships and dangers of the times along with the exciting details and it succeeds due to this very lack of romanticism. For against this background of harsh realities, the miracle of the staircase seems all the more wondrous. Although in the end it is left for the reader, along with Lizzy, to decide whether it was a miracle at all, a demonstration of respect for the reader that teenagers are bound to appreciate.
I started this library ebook on the plane going to Santa Fe, and finished it on the plane home, just as I had hoped to do. It’s a young adult historical novel centered on the wonderful circular staircase in the Loretto Chapel which we saw on our first day’s tour of the Santa Fe, and which I had also seen with Mom back in 1996.I liked the historical background of the book – that provided exactly the nightly entertainment I was hoping for. It was fun to picture a family in a Sante Fe Trail wagon train, the august Bishop Lamy presiding over the nuns and schoolgirls, the Mexican people working at the school, the name-checks of historical families like the Bents (I was greatly pleased to run across this name in the New Mexico Museum of History). The story promotes the legend of the mysterious carpenter, here named José and really St. Joseph, who builds the staircase with just three tools and then disappears. Rinaldi also has this character appear earlier to the story’s protagonist, Lizzy Enders, in the form of an Indian man they encounter on the Trail. The set up of the plot is clever: the opening starts with an emotional bang, as Lizzy and her father are burying her mother who has died on the trail. So right away, Lizzy is deeply sympathetic as a character. Soon the foreshadowing tells the reader before Lizzy herself realizes it that her father is going to leave her in Santa Fe while he makes his way to Colorado to find a way to make a living. The family is taking along Elinor Lamay, the grandniece of Bishop Lamy, to deliver her to his care and to the Loretto school. Lizzy is also a stubborn Methodist in this highly Catholic city, which also provides another interesting plot point of tension. What was less appealing was the YA aspect of the story – Elinor Lamy is a Mean Girl who does all sorts of unlikely things for the period, in my view: sneaking out of the school to visit a witch lady, sneaking out for liasons with a boy, who happens to be from a prominent Mexican family, instigating a protest fast among the girls to stop the work of the carpenter. All of this seemed clearly designed to appeal to modern girl readers; there’s nothing wrong with that, I guess, as a way to entice kids to read historical fiction, but not so appealing to my tastes.Thanks to the good José, all turns out well for most everyone: the main character is reunited with her father, an orphaned baby finds a family, Elinor hooks up with her boyfriend, the staircase of course is completed.
What do You think about The Staircase (2002)?
Except for the ending, this was a very good read. I had heard of this staircase, and Rinaldi's telling about the physical structure by creating the story of a young and abandon'ed girl made for a believable tale. These were believeable characters, too. The problem was the father ending up on the King Ranch with a good job despite the loss of his arm. I just did not believe it since he had no ranching experience. I also am a less forgiving person and I would have gone to the uncle before the fath
—Carolyn
I have always been fascinated by the story of the staircase at the Chapel of Loretto in Santa Fe ever since I first learned about it as a little girl, probably around the same age as Lizzy, the narrator and main character. She finds the carpenter and brings him back to the school to build the staircase. Lizzy never beats around the bush. She comes right out with her opinions and impressions of the Catholic faith. I liked her boldness. I also loved the character of the bishop, and also Mrs. Lacey. I didn't want to put this book down. I've read others by Rinaldi. She writes historical fiction very well and really engages the reader.
—Lisa
I am, once again, infatuated with historical fiction. I love Rinaldi and this story is great! So. Rinaldi is my life. I want to be her when I grow up. Okay, not really. But, seriously! Why does she get to write so well? Have so much dedication? When the rest of us are stuck muddling through? The injustice is overwhelming. Anyways. I love the ending to this novel! Being atheist, I highly doubt that the carpenter was Saint Joseph. But I love the way that Lizzy finds it hard to believe, as well. Honestly, I found her a bit petty in finding it hard to forgive her father. I mean, if I was Lizzy, I would like to think I would be capable of understanding that my father was going through a hard time, emotionally, and that he wanted to be able to ensure that living with him would be the best option. But...maybe I wouldn't. I hope I'll never have to find out. The bishop was probably my favorite. He is so knowing, so kind. He has principles. He has truth. He is a brilliant character. And I would be truly honored to meet such a man in person.Love this book. Love these characters. Love. This. Author.
—Miranda Heath
