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ISBN 9781737847939
Pages 332
Year 202504
Format Trade Paper
Price $ 19.99
A woman’s quest for the truth unravels a web of secrets and lies that threaten everything she thought she knew about her family in Kemanis’ utterly absorbing novel. Caty Robertson, raised on love and her father Roy’s stories, grows up unaware of why her mother, Lenore, disappeared from their lives. In Caty’s idealized memory, Lenore is a brilliant law student and activist, while Roy, a Vietnam War vet, is a devoted man with big dreams. When Caty begins questioning her mother’s departure, Roy insists it was amicable. Determined to uncover the truth, she embarks on a secret investigation that reveals shocking details about her family’s past.
The narrative shifts between perspectives and timelines, intertwining a horde of voices that add depth to its characters. Caty’s voice is gripping—her determination and vulnerability make her quest for answers both relatable and emotionally charged. Roy is equally compelling, his strength and warmth shadowed by a deep, unhealed loss. Their relationship, rooted in authenticity, anchors the story. Lenore, through fragmented memories and Caty’s imagination, emerges as a complex figure. The vivid portrayal of 1970s Berkeley, with its fervent activism and countercultural energy, contrasts sharply with the quieter, more introspective moments in Caty’s and Roy’s lives. Themes of truth, perception, and deception run throughout, urging readers to question how much of our reality is shaped by what we choose to believe. The novel expertly examines how memory can serve both as a comfort and an obstacle to understanding, particularly within the emotionally charged realm of family history.
A beautifully crafted and deeply moving story.
***
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