by Lisa Genova
First published 2015
The O'Briens are a close-knit Boston clan. But when Joe, the family patriarch, is diagnosed with Huntington's disease, their world is turned upside down. As the terminal illness progresses, each family member must confront their own fears and vulnerabilities. Daughter Katie faces the agonizing decision of whether to get tested and learn her own fate. Son JJ struggles to reconcile his love for his father with the realities of the disease. Through it all, the family rallies together, finding strength in their bonds even as they face an uncertain future.
Genres: fiction, medical, contemporary, adult-fiction, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, terminal-illness
Setting: Boston
Period: 21st-century
352 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster Ltd
Content warnings: medical-trauma, terminal-illness