That Recoil of Nature

by Rod Dubey

In 1952, in a remote northern town, a woman is aided by a female doctor to kill her husband. This sets off a series of events that raise the question about when, if ever, violence is legitimate. The spread of violence that results from that initial act poses a devastating personal dilemma, a conflict of morality versus self-interest, and anguish at the inability to stop it.

The events occur in a town where there is a consolidation of power between the church and the powerful families. There is a tangible shift in the relations of power when these women are perceived to have taken control over life and death.

The story is told from a number of points of view over three generations. As we move forward, we see the effects of violence on succeeding generations, their changing attitudes to it and their attempts to stop the contagion.