I picked up this book after reading a memoir - I wanted something quick, fresh and intriguing and I wasn't disappointed. This novel takes place in a quiet suburban town in Maryland. It's a town that feels familiar with all of us, but there's an undercurrent of tension that raises the hair on the back of your neck but you're not sure why. In one home is Klara and Troy. There's something off about Troy and Klara never wanted the white picket fence that she has. Mary lives across the street and is preparing her home to be sold as she can't stand to live in the home that has bad memories of her son and mistakes. Henry lives with his parents and watches people way too closely for comfort.
What I really enjoyed was the unique way that Murphy structures her novel. I didn't expect it to circle back on itself the way that it did but I ended up really loving it. The novel explores relationships, it's true, but specifically it focuses on mothers and motherhood. It asks the question: what influence do mothers have on the people that their boys eventually become? Can they truly change or significantly influence them? The mothers in this novel are constantly present, some would say overbearing or enabling, while the fathers are absent either physically or emotionally. The pacing of the novel is brilliant and is best described as a slow burn. It is anything but boring, however. I also really enjoyed how things eventually came together - it was a satisfying conclusion.
Definitely worth the read.
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