What Are You Reading?
What Are You Reading? A project sponsored by the Friends of the Macomb Public Library District to encourage reading and book discussion in our community. Would you like to share your favorite books with other readers? Please send your name, occupation or grade level, book author and title, and a brief statement about the book and why you liked it to Kate Joswick, [email protected].
Reviewer’s Name: Janna Haworth Reviewer’s Occupation: Retired Book Title: After Anne Book’s Author: Anna Quindlen The novel opens with a shocking scene: Annie, wife to Bill and mother of four, fixing supper in the kitchen, falls to the floor and dies of an aneurysm.
She is just in her 30’s. The novel follows the family for one year from winter to the next winter in four parts or seasons. Ali, the oldest child, a daughter, tries to fill in with the cooking and caregiving, but of course, cannot replace her mother. The three boys are not defined as clearly, although Ant is angry but is eventually helped by a counselor, and Jamie is so young, he doesn’t understand for a while that his mother is not coming back. Annemarie, Annie’s best friend since high school, is also devastated and attempts to help the family, not always successfully. While this all sounds very gloomy, the novel is filled with wonderful writing describing the characters’ memories of Annie and her voice continuing in their heads and hearts. Anna Quindlen is known for her description of family connections, and After Annie is one of her best.
