Once And Forever
Novel reviewed by K. McElroy in June 2008
After several tragic events in short succession, Michael, a writer working on his ninth novel, is left confused, unhappy, and yearning for love. Once and Forever begins with his subsequent soul-searching journey, as he tries to learn how to cope with his bitter memories.
His path is not easy. Surreal characters question him—a waiter with bad hygiene, a talking black cat, a psychic policeman—and though Michael is hungry for answers, his experiences have made him cautious and distrustful, so he processes each encounter with defensive cynicism. Finally, one night, overwhelmed and exhausted by his search, he walks into the sea, throwing himself to the mercy of the “monsters from the deep.”
The sea has different plans for him, however; out of the dark appears a barking dog, and together they swim back to shore—away from danger, and toward the dog’s owner, Anna. Anna and her young son nurse the weakened Michael back to health, and it is here, in a little cottage on Montauk, where the barriers of time and space are broken down. As Michael realizes just how far he has traveled, the novel becomes an imaginative exploration of the discovery of a hopeful future in an unexpected location.
At times humorous, at times philosophical, Davis’ soulful narrative follows a path of self-discovery through time and memory, as Michael searches for the meaning of his feelings and relationships.
Ultimately, Once and Forever stands as a poignant exploration of the unpredictability, the power and the permanence of love.