Beautifully written story of two families and the grief and guilt they experience. The writing was haunting and stuck with me. Thank you NetGalley.

this book was sad and tragic in the best way possible. Multiple narrators don't always work for me, but it only added to the depth of this story.

If there's one thing I can always count on, it's for Dani Shapiro's writing to always be a hit! This reliable author has become a staple for me in my bookshelves -- SIGNAL FIRES might just be my favorite novel by her!

A solid story with beautiful writing and characters you love. I enjoyed the bit of mystery and the connections made between the two families.

This book started strong and then fell a little flat for me. The haunting writing has stuck with me though.

I felt fond of this book in some really surprising ones. I think the fact that the action of the book takes place in the intimacy of a neighborhood and so much is at night makes me think so much about my own teenagerhood as we drove around while all the windows were glowing with things happening inside. There was some kind of pull of nostalgia happening. There was one plot point where two characters converged in what I think was a shed that felt a little unlikely or hard to imagine, but everything else felt so distilled and absolutely real--the father pushing himself on the electronic rowing machine, the mother drinking wine downstairs, the taped up boxes in an empty house. Incredible writer.

This moving novel intertwines the stories of two families. Siblings Theo and Sarah Will make some bad decisions leading to a fatal car crash in 1985. With their parents they keep these secrets through the years without discussing them, and the course of their lives is altered. Years later the Shenkmans become their neighbors. Dr. Will delivers their son Waldo in an emergency. Waldo becomes an odd, lonely boy, who is fascinated with the stars and his father is disappointed that he is not an ordinary boy. The novel deals with guilt, grief, and sadness, yet shows connectivity.

This beautifully written story of two families and the grief and love they experience will make every reader relate. It speaks to the universality of family drama through generations on the same street.

In the summer of 1985, tragedy strikes when three teenagers, under the influence of alcohol, experience a catastrophic car crash that claims the life of one of them. The collision shatters the lives of those involved, including Ben Wilf, a young doctor who arrives at the scene.

Years later, the Shenkmans move into the neighborhood. During a snowstorm, Ben saves their newborn's life when the mother goes into labor at home during a snowstorm. Waldo, the Shenkmans’ intellectually gifted yet solitary son, forms a strong connection with Dr. Wilf, who is now retired and grappling with his wife's dementia.

Opinions on this book diverge significantly among readers. While some found it deeply moving and contemplative, I found it to be a dreary and melancholic tale that unfolded at a sluggish pace. The pervasive sense of gloom throughout the narrative made it a rather disheartening read. Fortunately, its brevity was a saving grace.

One aspect that detracted from my enjoyment was the author’s tendency to shift abruptly between different points of view and timelines without clear transitions. To me, this literary device disrupted the overall flow of the story.

Incorporating the Covid-19 pandemic felt out of place and contrived, considering that the story initially begins in 1985. The decision to introduce this contemporary event seemed disconnected from the core plot.

While I thought of abandoning the book altogether, I persevered until the bitter end. Undeniably well-written, it was the thematic content itself that failed to resonate with me. 3 stars. Good, but not great.

A car accident changes the life of a family forever. This is the story of the aftermath. It is beautifully written but tragic. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

This book is exactly what the blurb says it is; emotional, layered, and very introspective. It's quiet on the surface, but brimming with hard kept feelings, regrets, and overall feels incredibly real. I'm always interested and attached in stories that have people in them that feel like they could be ones I know, or at least ones that feel like they encompass what it really means to be a person; this had that. I think Shapiro gets the human essence and who people really are in all of their dark, messy, and honest, ways.

4 emotional and rivetting stars!

A melancholy and introspective novel about individuals in two connected families who are struggling to live a full, good life. Through a series of gorgeously written snapshots, we get to know (a little) Ben, Mimi, Theo, Sarah, Shenkman and Waldo.

It’s more of a character study than plot driven and includes big themes such as love and marriage, aging, tragedy, loss, and grief.

This was definitely a new author for me and I am so glad that I had a chance to read this book and would be interested in reading more. This book was an incredible tapestry of how the connections in life make the difference and how two points in time changed everything for two families. I wish the ending would have been a little more firm because this book just seemed to keep on going past the point I would have felt that it should have ended. I really enjoyed the characters and felt that this was as great read. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

What a beautiful story-
About family and memories.
Read in one day.. it was mesmerizing and I loved every page.
In my top five for the year.
Highly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley for the early read.

Gosh, I'm going to be thinking about this book for a long time. I love when a book has multiple narrators and timelines so this book was right up my alley. I couldn't put it down - I was eager to find out how the storylines wound themselves together. Don't get me wrong, this book was absolutely gut wrenching and devastating but I think each of the characters saw much growth in a generally positive direction. A beautiful illustration of the interconnectedness of our lives, which spans time and space beyond our imaginations.

I was eagerly awaiting this book by Dani Shapiro. I loved her book, Family History. Unfortunately, this book didn't seem to grab my attention and I didn't feel a connection with the characters. The back and forth timeline was choppy to me and hard for me to follow at times. I didn't not like the book, but I didn't love it. 3.5 stars

I read the premise and the first few pages of this book and realized it wasn’t for me. I love Dani Shapiro’s work though and can’t wait to read more from her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader's copy of this book.

I DNFed this book because there was fat-shaming in character descriptions within the first quarter of the book. Any time an author is unable to describe a larger character without making it sound like that person is inferior for being larger than average, I just stop reading and I tend to avoid their books from then on. I feel like people should know better by now.

A beautifully written story with well-developed characters. The novel hinges on one tragic event and how it intensely and fundamentally changes the individual lives and the dynamics of a family. Shapiro is an incredible writer who captures intensity and unspoken grief with grace. While parts of the story were a bit slow for my taste, I appreciated the narrative structure and connections between the characters.

Thanks to Net Galley and Knopf
Doubleday Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book is huge and full of heart. I felt like the prose was so intricate and layered, and I was truly riveted as I turned every page. I feel like I am a better reader for having read this book, which is the highest praise that I can give.