First published 2001
Sarah and Emily Grimes grow up as children of divorce, their family already fractured before they reach adulthood. Sarah chooses the conventional path, marrying young and settling into domestic life, but her marriage brings little happiness. Emily takes a different route, pursuing independence and a series of romantic relationships that leave her disappointed and alone. The decades pass as both sisters carry the weight of their broken family history. Sarah remains trapped in her loveless marriage while Emily drifts from one failed love affair to another. Each woman struggles in her own way to escape the patterns set by their parents' divorce. Their choices lead them down separate paths, but both face the same challenge of overcoming their damaged past. As the years accumulate, each sister must confront what her life has become and reach toward some form of personal renewal.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, adult-fiction, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, family-drama, separate-lives
Period: 20th-century
229 pages · Paperback · Picador