Author:  Anna Quindlen                                              
Publisher:  Random House
Pages: 320
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
Source:  Purchased

Synopsis:  Ellen Gulden is enjoying her career as a successful magazine writer in New York City when she learns that her mother, Kate, is dying of cancer.  Ellen’s father insists that she quit her job and return home to become a caregiver.  A high – power career woman, Ellen has never felt she had much in common with her mother, a homemaker and the heart of their family.  Yet as Ellen begins to spend time with Kate, she discovers many surprising truths, not only about herself, but also about the woman she thought she knew so well.
                                                                           Later, when Ellen is accused of the mercy killing of her mother, she must not only defend her own life but make a difficult choice – either accept responsibility for an act she did not commit or divulge the name of the person she believes committed a painful act of love.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book brings out a lot of emotions for me.  I lost my mother a year and a half ago to Parkinson’s.  It was a slow disease.  We lost her a little at a time.  I,  like Ellen, wish I had given  her the opportunity to talk more, complain more, to weep and to feel free to say what she wanted.  I am not sure I sat still long enough for my mother to feel she could say what she wanted.  I was too busy “taking care” of her.
                     
                         I can’t imagine after dealing with the death, being accused of killing her.  It would be difficult to defend yourself and grieve at the same time.

                         Occasionally, the description in the story was too detailed for me.  I lost track of the story and what she was describing at the end of the paragraph.  I could picture what she was writing about, but I would get so lost in the wordiness of it.

                          I have her non-fiction book Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake.  I hope I like that one more then I did this one.


Rating:  Three Chairs –  I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.