After Annie - Anna Quindlen

 After Annie - Anna Quindlen

Pub. Date: Feb. 27, 2024

When Annie, pregnant with her first child, married high school boyfriend turned plumber, she wanted nothing more than the secure comfort of her family and to provide nurturance to the residents in her care as an attendant in a nursing home. Her best friend, Annemarie, wanted more and after graduating from college, developed a successful business. When Annie dies unexpectedly with four young children, her family tumbles into grief and chaos, as does Annemarie.  Their pain is palpable as the reader spends a year with the family and friend, experiencing how they learn to cope with their bereavement.  

Anna Quindlen is a skilled writer.  I have loved everything I have read by her, this being no exception.  The story is both sad and uplifting and I suspect will result in many readers taking an introspective look at loss in their own lives. 

Written with poignancy and compassion, Quindlen displays insight into the thoughts, feelings and actions of people grappling with and living their lives. As in some of her other works, she portrays well the experience and vibe of living in a small town.

There are some heavy topics here: death, child abuse, substance abuse. They are dealt with realistically and sensitively.  

I recommend this book for fans of literary fiction/ women’s fiction and for those who want to make a foray into these genres. 

Many thanks to #netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC.

*****