The point of view of this story comes from Tricia, a naïve young newlywed whose husband was a lawyer working for Navy intelligence during the Vietnam War in 1963 Saigon. Tricia finds herself keeping company with other American women while living in Vietnam, in particular, Charlene who can be described as a do-gooder who believed that she was performing important charity work when in fact her causes often brought harm. Sixty years later, Tricia is now a widow and Rainey, Charlene’s daughter, who was a young child during their time in Vietnam, reconnects with her and together they reminisce of their time there.

I listened to the audiobook edition of this book narrated by Jesse Vilinsky and Rachel Kenney, who both did a good job in reading it. This was the first book that I can recall that I have read that is set not only in Vietnam but during the war and I found it very interesting. The author’s description of the heat and humidity in Vietnam helped to make the reader feel the atmosphere of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alice McDermott's new epistolatory novel Absolution is set in the 1962s - my era, so to speak -- and it brought back so many memories for me. Using gorgeous prose, McDermott tells the story of Patricia/Tricia, who marries an up-and-coming engineer/lawyer with the expectation of producing and raising their children and being his "helpmate," the latter was advice given to her father as he began to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. Patricia accompanies husband Peter to Saigon, just prior to the start of what we know as "The Vietnam War." There she has little to do until she is taken under the wing of Charlene, a bossy yet caring young mother who proceeded Patricia (whom she dubs Tricia) to the city. The story is told to Rainey, Charlene's daughter, some sixty years after they all left Saigon. The novel focuses on the plight of women in that era, women who even when prepared for a profession (Patricia is a kindergarten teacher) give it up upon their marriage and spend their days doing what they think to be "good deeds." My short synopsis does not begin to do justice to this wonderful book, which I both read in print and listened to. Narrators Jesse Vilinsky and Rachel Kenney enhance the novel with their skill. Highly recommended.

I was thrilled to learn that this Absolution: A Novel by Alice McDermott was set in 1962. I have recently become fascinated by 1962 with the discovery of my mom’s nursing cape awarded on her graduation from nursing school in 1962. I have longed to hear the stories that I didn’t know I needed about 1962. What was it like - attending school? dating my dad? starting a first job looking sharply professional in that cape?
Told in the forms of letters - we are first introduced to Patricia who is living in Saigon in the early 60s while her husband is working there. We are immediately immersed into the life of a woman in the 60s from the hairdo, to the girdle, to the role of a lovely and helpful wife. A simple garden party is presented as a bit of a battle for Patricia who here meets Charlene and her daughter Rainey (who is the recipient of Patricia’s letters and who responds back later in the novel). Our journey through Vietnam culture (through the experiences of white women) begins.
Cringey moments abound as Patricia works with Charlene to “help” the Vietnamese people. In spite of the fact that she is painfully honest about her mistakes, we at least have the privilege of hearing the story after Patricia has some time to reflect. I’m not sure if she has achieved or even needed absolution.
Since it has been the summer of Barbie, the inclusion of the Saigon Barbie element seems timely. Through her we get a sense of how Charlene works, get to know Li, and get a throughline to the end of the novel. She quickly becomes a symbol of Charlene’s thoughtlessness and Patricia’s confusion. And then she shows up in a plastic container in a closet. (Oh the things we keep!) I appreciate how well McDermott creates an innocent/unreliable narrator, highlighting the complexity of her transformation further. The setting here is so fully alive as well. From the oppressive heat to the horrific nature of the asylum for lepers, I felt very immersed in the landscape and time era of the novel. I read the audio version read by Jesse Vilinski - she does a superb job of bringing the content to life.

Absolution
A Novel
by Alice McDermott
Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky; Rachel Kenney

McDermott sets a vivid and succinct time and place for her historical novel, Vietnam in 1963. Written in two POVs, and in a subtle letter format, she crafts a novel about Patricia and Rainey, and their love of and fear of Charlene, Raineys mother.

Patricia’s voice is so strong, so clear, her memories of her childhood friend Stella, her love of Peter and their newlywed life together, her reluctant yet total immersion in Charlene’s “kabal,” gives us palpable feelings of the dismissive misogyny towards the army wives, the dismissive racism towards the Vietnamese people.

But… I didn’t really follow the storyline? Good lord, I don’t even understand who was being “absolved” of what? It was a wonderful character study of growth and friendship, marriage and reminiscence, but the story was flat and smiles for me.

Thank you @NetGalley and @Macmillan.Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Absolution is defined as formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment:
In a letter penned to her friends Daughter. Life for American and French women during the Vietnam war is described. Dealing with issues of the time. Surrounded by poverty, abandoned or orphaned children, turning Vietnamese women into slaves, shopping because there is nothing else to do. Being wealthy held a large amount of guilt and made her uncomfortable.
Her friends daughter wrote correspondence to update you on current times.
This book is 336 pages. I had a hard time staying engaged. It seemed to drone on and on.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book. The narrator is heard licking lips and taking breaths. Very annoying.

Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to, and to review, Alice McDermott's "Absolution" coming to shelves this Halloween. The novel was deftly told via two characters, over the span of decades, in the form of letters to one another. The main character, Patricia, relates most of the novel to the daughter of an acquaintance from her time in Vietnam in the early '60s. Patricia is the newlywed wife of Peter who was stationed there as an engineer. and she is one of many wives whose lives are showcased in the book. The story interweaves race, politics, religion, class, and history via McDermott's wonderful storytelling - she is, above everything, a fantastic and highly readable writer.

The most fascinating character, in my opinion, was Charlene, mother to the other narrator of the book - Rainey - and "dynamo" in every way possible. Charlene is a force of nature and not always a likeable one. She is especially impactful in the life of Patricia whom she manages to rename Tricia and takes under her wing as a "business" partner. Charlene is the creator of "opportunities" -- financial, entrepreneurial, and romantic, and a force for good and also harm. This character is unforgettable (esp. as told through the experiences of her daughter and Tricia). The story, itself, was not one of my favorites (McDermott, herself, sets the bar so high with her books to date) but the novel kept me engaged and interested right through the last page. It was expertly narrated by Jesse Vilinsky and Rachel Kenney, and easy to follow as an audiobook. I definitely recommend this audiobook.

I’m in the minority on this one. Though the writing is exquisite—McDermott drops the reader directly into Saigon during the Vietnam War—I felt like I was slogging through because of the structure. Split between two time periods, I adored the historical timeline, but was not a fan of the the modern one. I understand the contemporary timeline adds depth to the novel, allowing for reflection, but Charlene’s daughter and her narrative did not add to the story, only her letters to Tricia.

The tenuous friendship between Tricia and Charlene, two wives dragged to Vietnam to follow their husbands who are in service to the US government overseas, is a riveting back and forth. The two women come from very different backgrounds, and their differences are on stark display in the small expat community. Tricia who comes from humble beginnings, is far more aware of her privilege in Vietnam, while Charlene’s behavior comes across as both false and cringeworthy many times, despite her good intentions. The war is almost secondary to the plot as this novel makes the women’s “friendship” center stage. The things these women do during their time in Saigon only seem to mirror America’s actions in Vietnam in general. Without being overly political, McDermott has managed to subtlety insinuate her feelings regarding America’s involvement in Vietnam.

I might change my mind about this novel with further reflection, but at this moment the structure was so distracting while reading it took away from the novel as a whole. Regardless, Alice McDermott is a wonder with the pen and her characterization of Charlene and Tricia as “helpmeet” wives was spot on. As a person who was born after the Vietnam War, and before they began teaching about in history classes, Absolution was absolutely informative.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author Alice McDermott for the advanced copy of the audiobook. Absolution is out on October 31st. All opinions are my own.

"Absolution" tells the story of two wives of American living in Saigon on the edges of the Vietnam War. Tricia is recently married and eager to be a mother, whereas Charlene is an entrepreneurial mother of three who takes Tricia under her wing. The story is narrated from the perspectives of Tricia and Charlene's daughter years later as they reckon with their past experiences with grief and conflict.

This was my first novel by McDermott, and I appreciated the clarity of her characters' voices. I thought the discussion of the disconnect between these women and the realities of the war and illness that surrounded them was poignant. There were moments when Charlene and Tricia's projects felt jarring (though perhaps that was the point), and the purpose of the reflective narration felt underdeveloped, but overall, the book was enjoyable.

...but how I wished there existed someone to whom I could say I was sorry. Graham Greene, The Quiet American

This magnificent book is about the American wives in Saigon in 1963. They have servants to cook, clean, shop and manage the home. That leaves them time for ventures of 'inconsequential good'. Tricia become friends with Charlene, who is as outgoing, vivacious and take charge as Tricia is passive. They create a cottage industry selling barbies for cash so they can buy small toys and presents for the children and their families in the hospitals. They even venture to a leprosy colony for their good deeds. The book is in epistolary form as Tricia looks back upon her life in letters to Charlene's daughter.

This audio book is a terrific version. There are two narrators for both parts and they express the perfect amount of emotion without overdoing it. I started listening at my usual speed of 1.3 but slowed it down to 1.0 to savor the prose.

Many thanks to McMillian audio and NetGalley for this outstanding book!

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 Stars

I was invested in Absolution by Alice McDermott from the very first page. This is the story of a year long friendship between two young American wives who meet in Saigon during the Vietnam war. Both women have found themselves in this country far from home, as the "helpmeets" of their husbands, who each have non-military roles in the war.

The stories of Tricia and Charlene are told mainly in the form of letters between Tricia and Charlene's daughter, who seeks out Tricia after her mother's death, several decades after the women met in Saigon. It is through their letters that we experience a richly drawn life in Vietnam, on the periphary of the war effort.

McDermott aptly depicts the restrictions placed on women during this era in history, giving voice to their struggles to discover and own their identities in a world which sees them as worthy only in terms of their husbands and their wifely responsibilities.

McDermott does a masterful job making us feel both sympathetic towards her main characters, and uncomfortable about the way the American wives interact with each other, juxtaposed to their relationships with the people of the country in which they are merely visitors. There were definitely some moments in this book when I cringed, but that is not a bad thing. I appreciate that McDermott is bringing honest commentary about a period in our history in which the truth was often obscured due to the heavy pressure from American societal norms.

The structure of this book did not always work for me. There were times in the middle of the book, and with some of the sub-plots and dual time-lines, where the story lost me a bit. Overall, Absolution was a compelling story, and the characters of Charlene and Tricia will stay with me.

I highly recommend the audio of Absolution, narrated by Jesse Vilinsky and Rachel Kenney. They put on a great performance, drawing the listener in immediately, giving strong voice to McDermott's characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for gifting me the ALC of Absolution by Alice McDermott in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first work by Alice McDermott I have read. I listened to the audiobook version, which although well-narrated, was probably not the best choice for me.

This story of a group of women in Vietnam during the early 1960 was complex, steamy, and somewhat dreamlike. I loved the idea of the novel, and admired the execution. However i didn’t really enjoy the characters or the setting, and found it unsettling. I believe this is due to my current mood and is not a reflection of the book or its writer.

My rating reflects my respect and admiration for both this book and its author. I will read this again in print format, which I know I will enjoy more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


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I've never read anything by Alice McDermott before, but I'll certainly be changing that after finishing this spectacular book. Absolution focuses on two American wives in Saigon on the margins of the Vietnam War. They're not alike, exactly - Tricia is a somewhat naïve newlywed while Charlene is a prized wife, mother, and overall do-gooder.

I really enjoyed the conversational nature of this book; it was exceptionally readable, and the writing was beautiful. I especially appreciated the inside look into an era where I only have a cursory knowledge beforehand. The narration was another high point for me, and the voices were perfect for these characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free audio book in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Jesse Vilinsky and Rachel Kenney, both of whom do an excellent job.

This is an interesting tale of the women on the fringes of the Vietnam War. These are the privileged wives of the diplomats and business men who are stationed in Vietnam in the 1960s. One woman in particular, Charlene, pursues ventures to improve the lives of the less fortunate by creating money making endeavors. Tricia, a newcomer to the group, sees the dichotomy of the suffering surrounding these women living lavish lifestyles with servants and garden parties. The story is recounted by Tricia to Charlene's daughter. Both are forced to come to terms with the ways their own lives have been shaped and stunted by Charlene’s pursuit of “inconsequential good.”

This is such an interesting story that does a great job of comparing and contrasting the people of Vietnam to these privileged few. On the one hand you have the poor, starving in the streets and then on the other, these blissfully kept women. This is a new take on the Vietnam war, Highly recommend!

Alice McDermott weaves a compelling story about American military wives stationed in Vietnam in 1963. The first 2/3 of the story is told by a young, seemingly-naive wife, Tricia, in a letter to the daughter of Charlene, another of the wives. Charlene boldly defies the division between the Americans and the Vietnamese to offer charity in a not-wholly selfless way.

Tricia’s role in life as prescribed by society in 1963 is to be a “help meet” to her husband, Peter. She also has a strong sense of social justice that gets briefly waylaid by her time with Charlene.

All-too briefly we are treated to the perspective of Rainey, to whom Tricia tells her story. That would probably be my only criticism- I wish we heard more from Rainey. Particularly about her own time in Vietnam.

I listened to this on audio and both narrators did a fine job, keeping me engaged throughout.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

I read the novel and then listened to the audio book. Just fabulous! The narrator did and excellent job. Would highly recommend.

When Charlene's daughter Rainey reaches out to Tricia asking about her mother and their time in Vietnam. Tricia is drawn back to her time as a naive young wife easily convinced to take part in Charlene's do good schemes. She shares her stories and memories of Charlene and her constant projects to 'help' the people of Vietnam. Rainey shares her memories of the time and how it shaped her. This is a story of women on the fringes of events and how it shaped them and the future.

The narrator brought the listener in so it felt like you were listening to a friend telling a story.

Absolution is a beautiful novel written with two perspectives, the first narrator is a young woman, Tricia, a shy, always wanting to please newlywed who moves to Saigon with her engineer husband in the very early 60s. Once there she tries to ingratiate herself into the ex-pat community and meets Charlene, a strongly confident mother of three who takes Tricia under her wing. The second narrator is Charlene’s daughter, who tells her story years later when she meets a Vietnam vet who knew her mother.

What I think McDermott does brilliantly in this novel is that while she is telling the story of the two women through their narrative, the main character is actually Charlene. Charlene’s character is so multi-faceted I think there is a scene that sums her character best when, after her funeral, her children are telling stories about her and their aunt asks if they even loved her. Charlene spends her time doing such good (like visiting leper colonies and orphanages) while having moral blindspots at the same time.

I fully enjoyed reading this novel, it is definitely one of my favorites of the year. The middle meandered a bit but I think it painted a picture of pre-American invasion Vietnam that I have not read before and gave me a view of the ex-pat world of Saigon that I didn’t even know existed. I do think I benefited from listening to the audio which was exceptionally well done and kept me engaged (with two different narrators). McDermott drew beautiful character portraits of all the women in this novel.

4.75 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio to review

I really enjoyed this. It took on a relatively unusual topic and setting, It's one of those books that feels well worth the read, but also that it isn't obvious how/why that is the case.


Review copy provided by publisher.

Absolution is a story of Tricia and Charlene, and their friendship during the Vietnam War. Women whose husbands are stationed in Saigon. The story is told in dual timelines, years apart. Much of it is told through letters. 1963 as the war unfolds and they become friends and then many years later when Charlene dies and her daughter looks for Tricia.

Parts of this story were heartbreaking and McDermott does a wonderful job of making the reader feel a part of the story. The characters are well developed and I enjoyed this story so much. It's not often that a reader hears of the wives' stories during the war.

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC of this wonderful book!

McDermott takes on the Vietnam war Innoway, we haven’t seen before. Previous novels about this period in history have cast women in supporting roles, but this time they take center stage. This may be one of the authors, best books, and that is saying something. The story had me in tears, and it will remain with me for a long time.