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Aug 27, 2017readerF451 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A satisfying, suspenseful read. Lodato has done an admirable job of capturing the turmoil and damage that comes from a family where secrets and falsehoods are used to protect the very young main character, Edgar Allen Fini, from truth of the death of his father by suicide. A relationship triangle of Edgar, his ill-suited for motherhood mother Lucy, and his fierce grandmother Florence forms the core of the first section of the book. Edgar's relationship with Conrad, a man with his own secrets and pain, informs the second half. This book is about compassion, pain, acceptance and ultimately redemption. Along the way Lodato introduces many peripheral characters, all of whom are portrayed with a real understanding of human frailty and sensitivity to the human condition. The synopses of this book online will give you an idea of the novel, but it won't do justice to the writing itself. At 532 pages, it is a long read, but one I felt worth the journey.