Liars by Steven Gillis

Could love be finite? What if the greatness of love cannot be contained or directed towards one person? What, really, is the secret to a long lasting loving and supportive relationship? Eric McCanus struggles with his inability to be open in his openness. His life partners are not constant. Even his dog is not a constant. As Eric stumbles through life as a writer with only one acclaimed book and a subsequent literary disaster, he is faced with the need to audit his beliefs. He thinks he has a viable direction for his third book until he spots a couple that completely upturns his beliefs. The couple seems happy on the surface but Eric is convinced that this is just a façade. He is convinced that given a hard enough shove the truth will come out. The couple distracts him from his writing until he decides to become the shove they need. How could they be happily married for twenty years given the friability of the institution? Eric does everything in his power to prove or disprove his theories about love and the necessity of monogamy, more to himself than anyone else. The true reason behind his urgent need to investigate Cara and Matt’s marriage is the fear that he might not be honest about what he truly believes. That he may just be too lazy to work on his relationships; first with Lidia then with Gloria. Is Eric misguided in believing that sexual fidelity and love have nothing to do with each other? Has Eric been deceiving himself all this time? Could he in fact be a traditionalist or is he just a man afflicted with insanity?

Steven Gillis approaches the subject of life, love and everything in between with meticulous precision. As is appropriate when dealing with such a heady subject, the sentences are brief and beautiful. They allow time to the reader to contemplate the thoughts expressed. They pack just the right amount of punch. Steven’s writing style is simple and appealing. His tone of voice makes it easier to glide through the chapters. ‘LIARS’ contains therein, characters with different personas and temperaments who still get along quite well. This is despite holding different views on what is deemed preeminent by some, love. This is representative of the current society and the makeup of most relationships. Rarely do two people with the same views on love come together. This could be a testament to variety being the spice of life. Variety here being the different opinions held by individuals owing to their nature and/or nurture.

The author made Matt out to be a bit of a wuss with his lack of ambition and desperate need to please his wife. This more or less announced the author’s views on the subject at hand. It may unintentionally drive the reader to take Eric’s side with disregard to their own opinion. Otherwise, delivery is good. The book is enjoyable. The story compels one to do an in depth analysis of their own beliefs. I would highly recommend it for any adult. Both for the reading pleasure and exploration of a less traditional dimension of love and marriage. This is not a love story. There is no happy ending. This is better.