The Fire Dwellers

Stacey Cameron is a 39-year-old mother of four, married to Mac, a salesman. Their marriage is okay-not-great, and while Stacey deeply loves her children she also feels trapped in her homemaking role. She sees and feels her body changing with age and is intimidated by her slim and fashionable neighbor Tess, but cannot see how Tess longs for Stacey’s stable and relatively loving home life. When Mac changes jobs, he works long hours trying to prove himself. Stacey is thrust into the role of “corporate wife” at parties hosted by Mac’s boss. Self-conscious and awkward, Stacey drinks too much and becomes even more outspoken than usual, causing tensions with Mac.

Craving excitement, Stacey begins finding ways to get out on her own, each show more time pushing the boundaries a bit more while worrying she will be caught. She goes out with her husband’s friend, a truck-driver, only to be repulsed by his advances. She then has a brief affair with a much younger man, and while this meets both physical and emotional needs, Stacey quickly realizes there is no future in the relationship.

Stacey’s life is filled with metaphorical fires that need to be dealt with (hence the title), and some have serious consequences for the family. Despite being a tremendously flawed character (but aren't we all?) she gets by, and manages to steer her family through difficult times. And yet at the end of the book, the reader sees more fires ahead and recognizes Stacey’s life will always be that way. show less

Told from the point of view of disillusioned mother-of-four, Stacey McAindra, an almost-40 Canadian housewife. The first signs of aging...recollections of her youth, not so long ago....a stressed, distant husband, issues with the kids, vague yearnings for a drink and a bit of excitement...
You really believe in the characters: Laurence gives you their words alongside what theyre actually thinking - these can often be poles apart. Did it all tie up a bit conveniently? Maybe....but memorable writing.

I will admit to harbouring high expectations for this book, since Margaret Laurence wrote one of my favourite books, A Jest Of God. While part of the same "Manawaka Cycle", The Fire Dwellers tackles different themes, namely the frustrations of married life and parenthood. Laurence evokes jaded mother-of-four Stacey MacAindra's sense of frustration and powerlessness with such candour that it's impossible not to feel it along with her. I found myself growing impatient with Stacey, her oafish husband and the institution of marriage itself. If nothing else, the book is an effective caution against making "safe" choices in life.

"Better to marry than burn, St. Paul said, but he didn't say what to do if you marry and burn."

That one line sums up this book perfectly. It's another story of regret, of looking back on your life and wondering if you made the right decisions, how different your life could be if you'd done things differently, and if it's worth giving up an unhappy, if safe and comfortable, existence for a chance at happiness. It really makes you wonder if any of us really have any idea at all of what would make us truly happy. I think I should definitely look into reading more of her work.

This book is part of Laurence's Manawaka series even though it is set in Vancouver. Stacey MacAindra is the sister of Rachel Cameron who is the heroine of A Jest of God. She got out of town, moved to Vancouver and married Mac MacAindra. They have 4 children, 14 year old Katie, Ian and Duncan (about 9 and 7?) and then 2 year old Jen. Mac is a salesman. He's sold encyclopedias, vanilla and other household products and he has just been hired on by Richalife, makers of vitamins. The time is the 1960's. According to one account I read this book is the most autobiographical of all Laurence's books. One major deviation from Laurence's life is that Stacey stays married to Mac while Laurence separated from and then divorced her husband. Of show more course, Laurence would have had an independent source of income from her writing whereas Stacey, like lots of women in the 60's, was entirely dependent on her husband for money. Stacey often feels like she is in prison and she thinks about getting out but with no money and no job skills and 4 kids she is stuck.

I kept thinking about my mother as I read this book. She also had 4 children to raise and I wonder how often she felt imprisoned. Maybe that's why she started teaching again or at least it might have been part of the reason. She was somewhat of an anomaly at the time but if it saved her sanity then I'm grateful she did it.

Laurence is a fine writer and I wish she had written more. I have one more book of hers to read and then I may have to start reading them over again. show less

The Fire-Dwellers by Margaret Laurence: an excellent book: I read this book for an independent study, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Margaret Laurence always does an incredible job of creating characters that are very real, and that teach her readers to be empathetic toward other human beings. Stacey MacAindra is no exception. She is an accurate portrayal of an ordinary Canadian woman, wife and mother. Her story draws attention to many of the inner conflicts and challenges that ordinary people face every day that we often ignore or don't notice. The Fire-Dwellers is a very real story, and Margaret Laurence is right on in her description of the emotions and thoughts of Stacey and everyone in Canada who is like Stacey.

Like her other books in this series, The Fire-Dwellers is largely about family relationships. Much of the book is a comparison between what the protagonist says and does, and what she is thinking. I like that idea and it works well. Stacey, the main character here, is quite believable, as is her husband and the conflict between them. Their essential conflict (he works hard, plans their future, is not great with the kids, doesn't talk about his real thoughts and feelings with anyone; she wants honesty and openness from her husband and doesn't get it, feels trapped by her family obligations and yet is ultimately committed to them) is partly characteristic of my own marriage, so I related well to this situation.