...beautifully spare and poignant ... This is a novel that charms not through the complexities of its plot but through its subtle revelations of character and the human condition ... The gift of O’Nan’s fiction is to immerse us deeply in Henry’s essence, in his desire to be useful and his nostalgia for a vanished way of life, for the forgotten homespun rituals and for houses with slate roofs and ornate gables. And when we watch him winding the clocks forward, we find ourselves wishing he could hold the minute hand motionless for just a while longer.
O’Nan trusts that the simplicity of his story, rather than dulling Henry’s character, will instead reveal it ... Tracking Henry’s subtle interplay with Emily, and the unspoken mysteries that concern him, O’Nan reveals a rich inner life.
... [O'Nan] excels at observing nuanced dramas and personalities playing out beneath the skin of something as mundane an extended family at their summer cottage, doing a jigsaw puzzle during a rainstorm ... Mr. O’Nan, with some of his most gorgeous writing, also provides Henry instances of unexpected grace ... This novel is a lovely tribute to the enduring mystery of an ordinary life; it wouldn’t have hurt Henry much to hold him to stricter accounts on the matter.
... engaging and immersive ... One of O’Nan’s gifts is his ability to craft his characters with such uncanny attention to detail that the reader comes to care for them as the author does ... It isn’t necessary to have read the other novels in O’Nan’s Maxwell family saga to enjoy Henry, Himself. But readers who enjoy this poignant, everyman story will surely want to read them next. His stories of one upper-middle-class Pittsburgh family will resonate with many readers, especially fans of Anne Tyler’s character-driven novels set in Baltimore.
When it comes to writers working today, none may be better than Stewart O'Nan at portraying the intimate details of simple daily life. His new novel, Henry, Himself, is yet further evidence of that estimable talent ... Among the many pleasures of Henry, Himself is its portrait of Henry's union with his wife Emily, celebrating the 'mystery at the heart of any marriage, secrets even people close to it would never know,' as they approach their 50th anniversary. O'Nan perfectly captures its essence, from the division of labor, express and implied, that marks long-term marriages, to the tender jibes and private language shared by husband and wife ... In this gentle, graceful novel, Stewart O'Nan shows just how far short of the truth such a reductive summing up can be.
It takes a deft hand to do justice to the ordinary ... Any homeowner who grapples with dogs peeing on carpets and critters who creep into attics will relate to Henry’s daily household chores, but does one really want to spend 300+ pages wrestling with the same dilemmas that hound us in real life? ... On the other hand, the real joy in this novel is the seemingly endless moments that felt like they could have been plucked out of a regular life ... Domestic fiction has largely centered on women, and kudos to O’Nan for stepping into the fray, but there were moments when one might long for more self-actualization from Henry. The excessive, cloying civility and attention to detail—ironed napkins and tablecloth—can be maddening when one is longing for real connection ... This novel is a portrait of daily life one can imagine including in a time capsule and launching into space, assuring that a certain generation is preserved into perpetuity. Just don’t read this book with the expectation that anything will happen except for the everyday struggle, which, if you are lucky, you are attending to right now.
O’Nan elevates the routines and chores of quiet domesticity to a nearly heroic level in his lingering attention to details, from plumbing troubles to coupons, walking the dog, and all the preparations and disruptions of holiday gatherings. Like Richard Russo and Anne Tyler, O’Nan discerningly celebrates the glory of the ordinary in this pitch-perfect tale of the hidden everyday valor of a humble and good man.
As usual, this profoundly unpretentious writer employs lucid, no-frills prose to cogently convey complicated emotions and fraught family interactions. The novel makes no claims for Henry or his kin as exceptional people but instead celebrates the fullness and uniqueness of each ordinary human being. Astute and tender, rich in lovely images and revealing details—another wonderful piece of work from the immensely gifted O’Nan.
