Originally presented as the author's thesis, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2007.

Shelby Hearon has been widely praised for the insight, wit, and subtlety with which her novels limn the complexities of marriage and family ("What Jane Austen i

'A rollercoaster of a novel … McCreight has once again proven herself to be an insightful writer capable of taking us on a hell of a ride' Jodi Picoult 'Compl

A marriage of violence and control is not love and for Raine the moment of truth has come, the dark night of the soul is upon her but will she will find her way