First published 2004
Isabel Maher walks away from silent film stardom to become Bel Murphy, wife and mother. She trades Hollywood's bright lights for domestic scenes, yet performs her new role with theatrical intensity. Her three children rebel against the parts she assigns them. Joe becomes a Jesuit priest but fails to heal troubled souls, eventually traveling to war-torn El Salvador. Spinster daughter Rita elopes with a gangster who later cooperates with federal authorities, forcing her into witness protection. Gemma, an outsider who joins the Murphy household, channels her fury and drive into postmodern photography, achieving celebrity that brings its own complications. Each character fights to escape the stories Bel has written for them, seeking authentic lives beyond her dramatic influence. Their struggles unfold against decades of American history, from the end of silent cinema through modern times. Howard weaves together personal mythology and historical change, showing how families create their own flickering realities. The novel explores whether anyone can truly break free from the roles assigned by those who shaped them.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: escape-the-past, family-drama, found-family
Setting: El Salvador, Hollywood, United States
Period: End of Silent Cinema, Modern Times
256 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult