‘It was a beautiful, breezy, yellow-and-green afternoon…’ This is the way Abby Whitshank always begins the story of how she and Red fell in love that day in July 1959. The whole family on the porch, relaxed, half-listening as their mother tells the same tale they have heard so many times before. And yet this gathering is different. Abby and Red are getting older, and decisions must be made about how best to look after them and their beloved family home. They’ve all come, even Denny, who can usually be relied on only to please himself. From that porch we spool back through three generations of the Whitshanks, witnessing the events, secrets and unguarded moments that have come to define who and what they are. And while all families like to believe they are special, round that kitchen table over all those years we also see played out our own hopes and fears, rivalries and tensions – the essential nature of family life.
I’m liking
This is a thoroughly compelling family life story. The stories of the three generations of Whitshanks are woven throughout the book and the links that bind them run through the generations.
Tyler is a great writer and I was totally absorbed by this story as I was reading it – particularly the story of the sad and slightly desperate background to Linnie and Junior’s relationship.
Things that made me go hmmmm
There are quite a few characters in this book and at times, I felt I would have liked to know a bit more about them – particularly the daughters in the younger generation. At times, their characters hinted at depth but I’d have liked to have had more from them.
The conclusion
There is both sadness and joy in this book – just like life. Throughly recommend it!
