Published by Knopf on October 18, 2022

The broken members of two neighboring families occasionally intersect in Signal Fires. The Wilfs seemed like a typical suburban family until, in 1985, their two children went for a drive. Sarah was 17. She didn’t think she should drive after drinking three beers so she gave the keys to her brother. Theo was 15 and unlicensed. Sarah claimed she was driving after Theo crashed the car into a tree near their home. The Wilf kids were fine but the car’s third passenger appeared to be bleeding to death. Ben Wilf, their father, ran to the car and made the mistake of moving the girl, not realizing that her neck was broken. Ben is a doctor who should knew better but, because he acted in a state of panic, he lives the rest of his life with the knowledge that he might have caused serious harm.

Years later, the Wilf family has changed. Sarah is in Los Angeles with two kids of her own. She works in the film industry and supports her family because her husband, a screenwriter who is better at writing than networking, can’t get a break. Theo has gone to Patagonia to escape his tormented life. Ben suffers a panic attack when, in an emergency, he delivers a neighbor’s baby. Ben’s wife Mimi will later be placed in a care center for dementia patients. The family will reunite when Mimi wanders off the premises and disappears.

The baby Ben delivers is Waldo Shenkman. Waldo’s parents are ill-equipped for parenting. His father lives in a permanent state of rage; his mother drinks. We see less of the Shenkmans than the Wilfs as the story is told, but Waldo becomes a central character. Waldo is an exceptionally bright kid who needs to survive childhood before he will thrive.

Although the story bounces around in time, the key members of the two families come together in the novel’s third act. They are driven to each other in a moment of crisis. Families in crisis have an opportunity to change, to improve. Sometimes they recognize that opportunity; sometimes their personalities are too entrenched. Sometimes the youngest members of a family, not yet irrevocably damaged, have the most clarity. How the family members will respond is the question that readers will ponder until the story reaches its end.

“Everything is connected” is a common theme of literary fiction. All moments, all people, are connected in obvious and unrecognized ways. People are connected by living on the same planet in the same galaxy, surrounded by the same stars, but we are often connected by small events that we fail to appreciate. Connections in Signal Fire lead to surprising bonds that arise from tragic events.

The stronger theme in Signal Fires is the challenge of surviving the harm caused by a festering family secret. Every member of the Wilf family is touched by the car accident, the lie that was told, the failure to take responsibility and the lack of legal consequence. The family pointedly buries the truth, never speaking of it, even to each other. Ben comes to believe that “they shared a terror that if they spoke of what happened that night, their words would form a complete narrative more terrible than the shattered part each of them carried alone.” Theo is the most damaged, but Sarah uses alcohol to quiet her mind and Ben loses confidence in his ability to practice medicine. Sarah learns from AA that “you are only as sick as your secrets” and realizes that she is very sick indeed. How the family will overcome its secrets is the plot driver that gives the novel its tension.

Dani Shapiro’s descriptive prose sets the scene without burying it in words. I enjoyed Waldo’s description of exploding stars and the creation of new planets from stardust. I appreciated Ben’s memories of the “bang of a truck going over a manhole cover. The feel of a paper bag filled with hot chestnuts in his hands. The gush of an open hydrant in summertime.” The recipe ingredients Theo uses in the restaurants he eventually opens made my mouth water.

While Shapiro gives the reader moments of drama, Signal Fires ultimately succeeds as a character-driven novel. Shapiro details the lives of her characters, their growth and setbacks, the disconnect between their behavior and the way they want to behave. She gives her characters room to heal, a process that requires decades and the power of honest communication. She illustrates resilience in the face of plans that, like all plans, fail to survive contact with life. She acknowledges the importance of being recognized, even by just one or two people, for who you are, not for who you are expected to be. All of that occurs without excessive exposition, without melodrama, with an honest and steady look at how connections break and mend. This is an impressive novel.

RECOMMENDED

I loved this book so, so much. Dani Shapiro is a brilliant, elegant and inspiring writer—her throwaway phrases carry more weight than most novels. I loved this story of the aftermath of a tragic accident involving three teenagers—we see the immediate reactions of all involved, and then follow the lives of the teens, their families, and their neighbors over the course of many years. You know these characters, and you love them. They are perfectly imperfect. This is a gorgeous story of family, grief, redemption and loss. This book is what so many books attempt to be…and fail. No one writes family and love like Dani Shapiro. This is brilliant. I cannot wait to hand sell it.

Signal Fires, by Dani Shapiro, is a short philosophical novel. The story focuses on two families - the Wilfs and the Shenkmans - and how their lives intertwine.

The Wilf family is haunted by a tragic car accident that occured when siblings Sarah and Theo were teens. Ben Wilf has sold his home and is moving to be with his wife Mimi, who resides in an assisted living facility. Waldo Shenkman arrives in the world via an unplanned home birth, his mother, Alice, attended by a neighbor, Dr. Wilf. Shapiro weaves these stories together, alternating between lives past and present, illustrating the idea that time is not linear.

Time, and how time is perceived, is one of the novel’s central themes. It posits that we are each of our various selves - newborn, teen, newlywed, and ailing senior - all at once. Perhaps, Ben Shenkman thinks, “time is not a continuum, but rather, past, present, and future are always and forever unspooling.”

I normally enjoy a good philosophical book with a focus on character rather than plot. But I didn’t feel open to this one. The themes of interconnectedness and loops of time were explicitly repetitive in both dialogue and interior reflection. There was no subtlety, as if the author didn’t trust the reader to connect the dots.

This is a book that I wanted to like, but found myself bored and rolling my eyes instead. There are, however, many rave reviews for Signal Fires. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Signal Fires is one of those books that is hard to put down. Shapiro seeds compelling questions throughout the book, most especially at the beginning, and you just have to keep reading to find the answers.

*Spoilers Ahead*

Teenage siblings sneak out one night and go for a joyride, with 15 year old Theo at the wheel, and a friend of his drunk sister, Sarah, riding shotgun. The car crashes, and when their father, Ben, a doctor, tries to save the friend, he makes a devastating mistake, and the girl dies. Sarah insists she was driving to protect Theo, and so begin the secrets that will eat away at the family for decades to come.

Years later, Ben helps deliver a baby boy, Waldo, in the neighbor's kitchen. Years after that, his life and Waldo's intersect on a cold, snowy night at the foot of the oak tree where the car accident happened. Their lives entwine even more as Ben's wife, Mimi, suffering from Alzheimer's, goes missing the same night that Waldo runs away from home.

Throughout the book we learn about the power of secrets and just how much they hurt individuals and families. Both Sarah and Theo search for ways to mitigate their pain. For Sarah it is alcohol, and for Ben it is food. For their parents, it is an abrupt change from the idyllic life they once had and never will again, and the strain of one parent's insistence on silence and the other's wish to address the issues. Every aspect of the family members lives is impacted by the unspoken rule that the night of the accident will never be discussed.

The book is very well-written, especially from Ben and Waldo's POVs. They are the most fleshed out characters and it is their internal dialogues that inform us the most about the people and the world around them. While you feel for all of the main characters, these are the two that tug on your heartstrings. I am grateful that Shapiro gave us an ending for both of them, so we know what their futures will be like.

There are some things that I would have liked to be included. It is mentioned early on that Ben's reputation is destroyed by the accident, yet nothing else is ever said about it. Did he lose his license or get sued? Did it impact their finances? Were the kids shunned at school because of that? It's also worth mentioning why neither Sarah or Theo were tested to see if they had been drinking. Was it because they were from a 'good family?' If so, that's another layer to the story that I would have liked to see.

Overall, this is a compelling book about the power of the unsaid. Silence and secrets are toxic no matter how benign they might seem, and Shapiro drives this home in many poignant ways. A definite must read.

SIGNAL FIRES by Dani Shapiro is an absolutely beautiful book full of reflection about families and the meaning of life. Shaprio, a best-selling author of several other novels and memoirs, shares the story of the Wilf family: father and doctor Ben, wife and mother Mimi, and children Sarah and Theo. They live in Avalon, a suburban town in New York State and are neighbors to the Shenkmans: the husband has no first name and struggles with anger issues; Alice, the wife, is lonely, but strong. Their son, Waldo, is as unique as his name, interested in the stars, infinity, and, ultimately, astrophysics. The lives of these characters are intertwined ("maybe all of them are simply a chorus of souls, light touching light") over five decades from 1970 to the present although the story is told in a non-linear fashion beginning with a fatal car crash in 1985. Despite the impact of death, guilt, and secrets, the novel is surprisingly comforting: "The wheeling stars. The ancient shapes. They made him feel cozy and safe, as if he were under a vast blanket." SIGNAL FIRES received a starred review from Booklist ("Like creating an intricate origami puzzle"). Highly recommended.

OMG I adored this book!!! It might even make my top 10 of the year - will be recommending to everyone! If you liked The Most Fun We Ever Had, Ask Again Yes or Dearly Beloved, I highly recommend this emotional family story.

Such a beautiful story. Such strong connections with family and community. The bonds of families that barely had any communication throughout the years, yet, they felt each other's pain. I loved the characters and read it in one day

DNF @25%

I was unable to finish this - there are over 6 POV's, with one of them having either alzheimers or some sort of memory issue [I am currently living that life; my mother has Alzheimer's and life is hard. Very hard. I cannot and will not read about it in fiction as well], there are time jumps and there is [IMO] gratuitous language. All of this adds up to a not great read for me. I am disappointed as I have read the author's previous fiction and enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dani Shapiro, and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect book and contains all the possible pleasures of reading. it could be that the time period resonated with me and
the theme of families that don’t talk about what could matter and how it plays out in each of them is something I still think about at key
times in my life. For once I liked the nonlinear structure which in this case seemed not to be a contrivance. I will go back and reread as my
mind still works left to right. All the characters were well written with just enough details to fill in the blanks with imaginative thought. True
gem of the year in novel writing.

This is a novel about family - the relationship between siblings, parenting, friends and neighbors. It is really well written and surprisingly suspenseful given that there is not much of a plot. Readers of Ann Patchett will like it.

Signal Fires is a beautiful, poignant novel that explores the shame, secrets, and guilt that have followed a family through the decades. At the same time, it is a story of connections - both universal and individual.

When Theo Wilf is 15 years old his sister Sarah, who had been drinking, throws him the keys to the family car and together, along with a friend, they go for a ride. Theo has never driven before and the ride ends in tragedy, with the friend's death after they hit a big oak tree.

Ben Wilf, Theo's father, is a doctor and he runs outside and tries to help the injured girl. He realizes, too late, that she has a broken neck and he shouldn't have moved her. Sarah tells her father that she had been driving, in order to protect Theo. Ben realizes her lie but is silent. He is grateful that his children have been spared while also realizing that this accident may change the course of their lives. When he goes upstairs to his wife Mimi, she asks him not to talk about the accident - ever. Their home becomes toxic with the burden of this secret. Sarah drinks in order to cope and Theo disappears for five years in the hope that he can forget.

Across the street from the Wilf's lives a boy genius named Waldo. Through a stroke of luck, or perhaps it was meant to happen, Ben and Waldo become friends. Waldo is fascinated, to the point of obsession, with the stars and astronomy. He uses an app on his IPad to identify constellations, galaxies and find his own location on earth. He has a critical father who does not understand his fascination with astronomy. He'd rather Waldo be a 'normal' boy, interested in sports. Dr. Wilf 'gets' Waldo and from their first meeting, there is a visceral connection between them that lasts a lifetime.

The novel explores the deep connections that exist between things, identifying the energy patterns that live beyond the lifetime of organic matter. Waldo is able to see and feel things that most people either don't have access to or choose to ignore or disbelieve. When he encounters the oak tree that was the site of the car accident that killed a girl, he can feel her energy and being surrounding the circumference of the tree.

The novel is primarily about the Wilf family, narrated by different characters and in different timeframes. It is also the story of Waldo and his family and their connection to the Wilfs. The dynamics of family secrets and the impact of their toxicity is a major theme in this novel. The author, Dani Shapiro, does a beautiful job of integrating the family issues into the larger theme of universal connectedness. I loved this book and thank NetGalley and Knopf for early access to it.

Three teenagers, a tragic accident, a choice made that has repercussions for years. A devastatingly beautiful family drama filled with grief, guilt, and love. Dani Shapiro’s writing is filled with emotion. I read this in one sitting; one of my favorite reads of 2022.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for this ARC.

“Signal Fires,” by Dani Shapiro, Knopf, 240 pages, Oct. 18, 2022.

One summer night in 1985, teenagers Misty Zimmerman, Sarah Wilf and Sarah’s brother, Theo have been drinking. Theo is driving without even a learner’s permit.

The teens are in a crash. Benjamin Wilf, Sarah and Theo’s father, is a pulmonologist. The wreck happens right outside their home. Sarah runs for her father and tells him that Misty is injured.

Misty dies. Sarah claims she was driving. The Wilfs don’t talk about the accident. Fast forward in time. Sarah is a screenwriter, but is an alcoholic. Theo is a chef. He hasn’t been in contact with the family in years.

The Shenkmans move in across the street from the Wilfs. The son, Waldo, is 10. Ben is now retired. Mimi Wilf, his wife, is declining. Waldo’s father thinks Waldo is wasting his time with his interest in astronomy. Waldo may have autism. Waldo forms a connection with Ben that helps him when he feels misunderstood.

Shapiro makes the point that we are all connected. There isn’t much of a plot and the story is slow-moving. The book’s focus is how the characters deal with intense feelings of grief, regret and loneliness over a 35-year period.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Signal Fires is the new short but mighty novel written by Dani Shapiro. This book opens with a car crash in 1985. The remainder of the book examines the life-altering effects of this crash on the family involved. My favorite part of this book is the relationship that develops between Waldo and Dr. Wilf. I really liked the deep character development of this story. I enjoyed the varying timelines and narration. I won't soon forget this book. Read and enjoy!

This is a relatively quick read about a suburban New York family and the secrets that they hold after a car accident. It actually spans several decades and the story moves between them fairly seamlessly. The family across the street from them plays a key role in the story as well. As someone who used to live right around where the fictitious town supposedly was, the location didn't work for me and distracted me while I was reading because some of the things couldn't have happened the way they did in the book.

What a stunning book. Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro is a book I will not soon forget. It is a powerful look at family, loss, grief, trauma, and the joys of life despite very real tragedy. This book takes place over many years (from the 1980s to the 2000s), many places, and through many different perspectives. I highly recommend this book, despite the pain the characters experience, because of the brilliant writing and examination of life and the connections we share.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.

I like the non fiction Shapiro writes. I didn’t really care for her newest work of fiction.
All of the characters are sad and depressed. I struggled with this one. I couldn’t dig deep into the essence of the story to discern the plot.
This was a miss for me.

Character driven books and family dramas are a favorite genre of mine. After a fatal car accident, the lives of those who survive are forever changed. A neighborhood changes over time and so do the occupants of the homes. In this novel we see how those lives intersect over time. I found this to be so beautifully written and loved the message of how each life matters and how our seemingly unimportant decisions can change our fate. The different POV’s and the time jumps were a wonderful way to tell this story of the passage of time.
Pub date: October 18, 2022
Pages: 240
#SignalFires #NetGalley

This is a powerful story about loss, family, and finding connections in unexpected place. When a tragedy strikes the Wilf family when their children are teenagers, the lives of each members of the family are changed irrevocably. Several years later, long after the Wilf children have left their childhood home, a young couple moves into the Wilf's street. The Shenkmans are expecting a child. From the moment of the child's birth, the lives of the two families are intertwined, in unexpected respects and in ways that are often not obvious even to them. As the novel jumps in time, we gain a full perspective of each of the Wilfs and Shenkmans, and the disappointments and joys that come from lives that depart in many ways from expectations.

The book excels at capturing the internal lives of quite different characters, offering a perceptive and impactful story of loss, grief, family, and ambition. This is a story you will not soon forget.

Highly recommended!

I've enjoyed Shapiro's memoirs, but this is my first time reading her fiction. Will be recommended to many patrons!