Readers will experience the nuances of their individual grief as they process their losses, in the midst of anger and dismay at the recent surprises about a man they all loved deeply.
Delightful and perceptive ... Like a stone skipped across water, Shook flits seamlessly from one character to the next, and remarkably, all emerge as three-dimensional characters. Even with its many strands of plot, the novel never feels rushed, and Shook sprinkles some wild surprises into the goings-on. Readers will find plenty to savor.
Shook is juggling a lot of balls here, and in a tight space ... It's hard to keep the characters straight at first, but by the time they've finished the neighbor-donated casseroles and talked it all out, you're engaged and rooting for them. Also occasionally irritated, but that's what relatives are for.
