A tragic story that ends in hope makes compelling reading. Thomas’ debut 610 page novel tells a story that could happen to anyone. What happens when your spouse is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in his 50’s. How do you explain his bizarre behaviors to your high school aged son? How does cope with Dad who mentally and emotionally is no longer dad? How do you cope with the financial burden, how does your life continue? Lawyers suggest divorce so that Medicaid will help, but emotionally how can do you that. How do you handle working a full-time job and coming home to nurse your spouse, and how do you keep your heart from breaking when he’s moved to a nursing home. Beautifully written, this story will stay with the reader long after the book has been read.

This was a story of an Irish American family which begins in the 1950s during the childhood of the main character. It is a very long books, interesting in parts, boring in others. Extremely detailed story which probably could have been condensed.

I am still so unsure of how to review this book. It was a bit of a struggle for me to finish (large books like this usually are) but it did ultimately cause me to think about a lot of things. I will make this review simple: this was packed full of profound familial dysfunction, extreme attempts to discover what one perceives as happiness, and in what way someone can keep the harsh reality of life away from one's front door. Such deep thoughts that it's hard to correctly put into words.