Family History

A MOVING, BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED STORY

They were young when they met in a New York City café. Rachel is an aspiring art restorer, in the middle of graduate studies at New York University. Ned Jensen is an artist who dreams of a grand showing. This chance meeting is to unalterably change their lives. Rachel says there was nothing dramatic about that moment. It was simply that 'There was something between us. There you are. The thought came to me, bizarre and unbidden. I simply knew I had just met the man I was going to spend my life with.' Career plans are set aside when Rachel finds herself pregnant, and the couple decide to marry. Such a thought is unconscionable to Rachel's mother. After all, 'Nice Jewish girls weren't supposed to marry artists. My choices were doctor, lawyer, banker.' This is not the first rift between mother and daughter. Mother is widowed, selfish, a product of Bergdorf Goodman and Elizabeth Arden. Rachel tends toward the bohemian and, as an only child, relishes the thought of becoming part of a larger family, Ned's family. Following their wedding the pair settle in Ned's hometown of Hawthorne, Massachusetts, where his parents, successful realtors, have made it possible for them to buy a comfortable older home. With a barn behind the house in which he can paint, Ned signs on as an instructor at Hawthorne Academy. And then Kate is born. She is a golden child. She flourishes and grows - a joy to all. She earns high grades in her school subjects and is elected captain of athletic teams. They are a happy family and Ned is a popular teacher, dreams of becoming an artist seemingly forgotten. His early ambition is not mentioned any more 'It had faded away slowly, the way a painting itself fades when left too long in the sun. One day the image of Ned-the-artist was impossible to make out, and in his place was a high school teacher.' At the age of 13 Kate goes to summer camp; she is dreadfully missed by her parents. But when she returns from camp wearing a belly ring and a sullen expression, both Rachel and Ned sense something is very much amiss and they are right. Instead of their sunny, easy-going daughter they are now living with a withdrawn, somewhat volatile young lady. When Rachel finds herself pregnant again at 39, Kate is at first solicitous. Yet Joshua's birth does not have the hoped for cohesive effect on their family life. On the contrary, Kate's dark moods increase and she becomes more rebellious. When she accidentally drops Joshua severely injuring him, she seems to lose complete control, eventually falsely accusing her father of abuse. There seems to be no alternative but to institutionalize her for treatment. Ned, of course, loses his job at the Academy. Unable to bear the burden of Kate's behavior and false accusations he leaves Rachel, and takes a job selling real estate for his parents. The deterioration of the Jensen family is related in flashback episodes; it is spare, compelling, and heartbreakingly authentic. When we first meet Rachel she is alone in the house, in bed, watching home videos of Kate's young life, unsuccessfully trying to determine what went wrong - when and where the break down of her family began. There are no answers for her, as there are no pat answers for readers. Dani Shapiro has fashioned a deeply moving, beautifully crafted story. Once begun it is impossible to put down.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

good read but dont recommend

it was written well i liked how it went from past to present and back again but it has no real ending. the daughter does make a break though but you are left wanting more. glad only paid 2 bucks for it.

Amazing

I really enjoyed this book. It was imensely interesting. The story was written in an intriguing manner. I literally read it in a day.

Starts strong but leaves you wanting...

This book doesn't reveal its secrets easily but uncovers pieces of a troublesome family history slowly. The story highlights the fact that all families have certain problems that we try to shield ourselves from in order to keep ourselves together, for better or worse. However, the ending was a letdown for me because nothing really 'happens' at the end. I wanted more payoff--but as in real life, sometimes the payoff is just that the pages keep turning.

Touching

I loved this book. It was a wonderful read. My only problem was the ending. I felt a little disappointed because I wanted more closure.

not too great

This story moved WAY to slow. I found myself putting it down and not rushing back to it. The end was fair, but it took what felt like forever to get there.

good writing; limited character development

Rachel is self-involved,and shoresighted, doesn't see complexity in lives of others. the mother is a silly caricature.

Great characters and story, but a let down ending

This is the first book I read by Dani Shapiro, i loved the story and connected with the characters, but the ending was like running into a stone wall. I just finished Fugitive Blue by Dani, and it was excellent, her writing draws me in. I would still recommend Family History and look forward to future books.

Honest and heart renching

Though my expectations for this book were high I felt slighty let down by it. Yes it caught your attention and it dealt with how you can have everything one moment and the next nothing. But it took seemly forever to make that point. Dani Sharpio kept you interested by not telling much of anything. Good read but there are better books about the same thing.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!

This book was well written, and totally believable. It brings home the point of how even a solid marriage can be shaken when children have problems.... whose side does a woman take? The husband that she loves and has built a life with - or the sick child that needs her...

A good read but it's slow moving & lets you down

This book has so much potential. The characters are beautifully drawn and the plot is substantial. Howvere, the author leaves you with so many loose ends and unresolved conflicts that you are disappointed at the end. The relationship between Rachel and her mother is complex and painful, yet it never develops and there are many unanswered questions. After much angst she just about vanishes from the story line. Why? The reader is also left bereft at the end. The conclusion comes as a surprise given all the effort the author put into the build-up.

Family History

Great read about the unraveling of a family. One thing leads to another, and it seems just when you catch your breath, it gets worse. I felt for each member of Rachels family, especially Kate. Dani Shapiro is a very talented writer who nails the everyday details of a family, in and out of turmoil. I felt almost as if I was watching this book as a movie, she's that visual. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but the book held me captive until it's end.

Family History

great read. I felt for the characters in this book. Just when you think things can't get worse.....they do. It makes you think about your own family dynamics, and how life really can turn on a dime. Dani Shapiro is a very talented writer. I haven't seen family life detailed with quite this much precision in a very long time.

Enthralling

The cover of this book, a girl hanging upside down, intrigued me enough to pick it up among the dozens of stacked hardcovers at my local Barnes and Noble. I began reading, as I always do before deciding to buy a book, and before I knew it, I was on page 60. Few books draw you in so closely...within a minute I was laughing and tearing up. Losing control and seeing your whole world completely upside down is something that everyone can either relate to or relate to being afraid of. This book exposes and explores those feelings. I highly recommend it!

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