Review: A local author turns suburban drama into smart satire
By Bethanne Patrick March 24 at 1:27 PM Julie Langsdorf always saw herself as a writer. Even during the years when she was a stay-at-home mom in Potomac, Md., shuttling her children to and from activities, making school lunches and helping with homework. She might not have had success publishing her work, but writing was a part of her identity, so she kept at it.
But with her children launched, Langsdorf had more time to focus on her own more-than-a-hobby. Not that the path to success was immediate. Willard Park sees uprooted trees, mysterious fires, angry altercations, and it’s all smart, satiric fun, the kind of comic novel that helps us see our own foibles while we’re laughing at those of others.
The story does feel perfectly timed, not just in terms of real estate booms, but in the way warring factions sprout up and become stubbornly entrenched. And yet, the comedy of it all softens the ominous undertones. The residents of Willard Park come to realize that houses matter less than their inhabitants — and that the suburbs aren’t for everyone. Langsdorf understands this, too; in her current existence she feels more herself. “My life is much more vibrant,” she says. “I love being able to walk everywhere, and I do have more time to write.”
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