Daniel introduces Claudette to readers by saying, "My wife, I should tell you, is crazy" (page 5). Do you agree?

Daniel introduces Claudette to readers by saying, "My wife, I should tell you, is crazy" (page 5). Now that you've read the entire novel, do you agree?

No, I prefer to think of Claudette as eccentric, rather than crazy. Her actions, while unorthodox sometimes, usually seem pretty reasonable, as I remember. I found her to be a sympathetic character.

I thought this was an off putting way for him to describe the "love of his life."
I didn't see Claudette as crazy - but more as a highly individualistic private person. Her behavior, when she retreated to Ireland, was pretty steady and she was a very devoted mother.

I agree only because those connected to her have eccentric behavior that we might call crazy. These people in turn, even could be called normal by some. So who's to judge? His description of her being crazy might have been said in an affectionate way.

I don't agree. I think that Claudette is a very creative person who was frustrated with limits placed on her; like having to do interviews to "sell" her talent.

I do not think Claudette is crazy. I think people expected more of her than she was capable of and she did not understand how to handle it.

I agree...I don't think Claudette was crazy. I don't really understand why Daniel says this early on in the book. I felt as if he were the one making a significant amount of unhealthy choices throughout the book, not Claudette.

Claudette is far from crazy. And for Daniel's extensive knowledge of words, it is surprising that he felt crazy was his preferred description for the woman he loved.

I think Claudette is far from crazy. She is independent, a great mother and very aware of everyone and everything around her. She accepts the good and bad in just about everyone and carries on in the way she thinks she needs to lead her life for her children, loved ones and herself.

I don't believe she was crazy in the clinical sense. Many of her behaviors were dictated by her intense need for privacy.her strong sense f self allows her o engage in heavier so Thera might label as not normal. I loved her quirkiness.

I agree with the rest, Claudette was not crazy and I think it was out of character for Daniel to even say that. I think he would have used a much more colorful word.

Given that Daniel is a linguist, perhaps he meant "crazy" in one of its other senses. "Crazy" can also mean odd, unusual, out of the ordinary. Those descriptions could easily apply to Claudette.

She was a little different but coped well in so many ways. I took his comment that she was crazy as one of affection.

Not necessarily, she has her eccentricities but is also a great mother very loving and a good provider

No, I believe she never learned to set boundaries in a normal way and uses her imagination and creativity in very odd and eccentric ways to set them now. She's far to cunning to be truly crazy.

She is not crazy, and I have to assume that his using that term was in a colloquial sense, not a literal one, almost a tribute to her mysterious (to him) power to attract him, and to assert herself, when he (we find out) had not been able to do so, in his custody battles or his relationship with his previous wife. He is also, at that point in his life, overly conscientious, perhaps because of his own repressed sense of guilt, so he finds her reckless for having the gun, smoking, or using certain words in front of their children, but he knows what a great mother she is. We certainly see her responding in reasonable and supportive ways to him, when not (understandably) upset at any hint that he might not be faithful. I agree with those who described her as eccentric, intelligent, creative and frustrated at not having an outlet for that... stemming from how at the start of her young independent life, she was "taken over" by Timou. She shows inner strength to fight for herself and her children.

I think Daniel's engaging in a bit of hyperbole. My husband would likely tell others the same thing - but I'm just a bit wacky, in truth. So no, I don't think Claudette is crazy.

Claudette is not clinically crazy, but her actions are not totally normal. Being a bit of an introvert I can understand why she wants to be away from people and publicity.

Daniel definitely had a low self esteem problem. To think that Claudette was 'crazy' proved to be a poor choice of words, especially for a linguist.
H was a times, so pitiful and boorish that the fact that he had a relationship at all with her seems far fetched. His mundane attitude toward life did nothing to enhance his good will toward Claudette or any of his children.

I think it's almost a "term of endearment" from him -- she was definitely a person I would like to know! He was a little repressed because of his past life experiences!

Upon reflection after finishing the book, I thought this seemed to be a tactic of the author to set Daniel up as someone the reader should feel sympathetic to. The introduction of some of the characters seemed to immediately provide us with statements about how we should feel and then details were filled in later.