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“[An] exquisite debut . . . moving and hopeful.” –People Style Watch
To Ella Beene, happiness means living in the Northern California river town of Elbow, California, with her husband Joe and his two young children. But one summer day Joe drowns, leaving Ella alone with Annie and Zach—until his ex-wife, Paige, shows up at the funeral. For three years, Ella believed that Paige had selfishly abandoned her family. Yet—as the custody fight between mother and stepmother ensues—Ella realizes there may be more to the story than Joe ever revealed.
The Underside of Joy is not a fairy-tale version of step-motherhood, pitting good against evil, but a captivating story of two women who both claim to be the mother of the same two children.
mellow
Posted January 6, 2012
I loved every moment of this book.When Ella loses her husband she assumes she'll raise the step-children she loves as her own. Then their 'real' mother shows up to claim them and so begins a tug of war between two women for custody of the children they both love. Just as in real life, there are no easy answers and therein lies the beauty of the book. But it is easy to fall in love with the characters. The setting will also draw you in; northern California charms even as its 'underside' is revealed. Read this book and be prepared for a journey into the lives of characters you'll root for, laugh and cry with, and finally, carry with you long after you close the book.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.DanaB11
Posted January 10, 2012
This is one of those books that you can't wait to see what happens next! The author's powerful writing grabs you in to the story right from the start and takes you on an emotional journey that will make you laugh, cry, and get down right mad at times! Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the author's writing style. I believe this is Ms. Halverson's debut book -- definitely one of my new favorite authors, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.mslisa2u
Posted January 6, 2012
The Underside of Joy was chosen as a BEA Editor's Buzz pick and after reading Seré Prince Halverson's debut novel, you can see why.
I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak and the book grabbed me from the first page. My once voracious reading habit has dulled in the past few years (thanks to graduate school) and I can't remember a book that I just couldn't put down. While at work the next day, I wondered what was going to happen to Ella Beene, Paige and the kids. I finished the book in two days.
The story is unique, the writing sublime, and I felt like I was really in touch with the characters. Halverson truly explored both sides of this complex story without taking sides affording the reader to make their own decision.
A brilliant debut.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 31, 2011
A BEA Editor's Buzz pick, I loved this book. The story is heart wrenchingly beautiful. I highly recommend!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 24, 2012
I was expecting more of a storyline to this book. Not enough of an emotional book for me. To predictable.
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Posted June 13, 2012
This story was well-told. What could have been a heavy-handed melodrama is lightened with humor and fairness. The depictions in the family dynamic are spot on and very real. The descriptions of the town of Elbow and its environs make you want to pack up your Birkies and go.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.What a treat my book club had when Ms. Halverson joined us at our March meeting to discuss this book. This is the second time we've had an author at the meeting and I love those books (fortunately, they were 5-star books to me even before meeting the author) more because I get to find out the background and other tidbits that weren't in the book. This would include things like what was in the author's head when she came up with the characters, their names, the setting, events, etc. When I read a book that pulls me in, I am sad when it's over because I want to know more, I'm usually not ready to give up being a part of their lives ... this was one of those books.
Very cool for me reading this book is that the location is literally a hop, skip, and jump from my house. The town of Elbow is fictional, but based on very real places and the other towns mentioned are real and around here. The subject matter is pretty heavy, so don't think you're getting a light and fluffy book. Even with the heavy subject matter, Ms. Halvorson has such a nice writing style that I didn't feel bogged down by what was going on with the characters, just concern and hoping things would work out in the end.
Even without the author at your meeting, this is a great book for a book club. There is a lot to discuss and different characters to take "sides" with that will open up even more avenues of discussion. I definitely recommend this book. And if you're ever near Freestone, the cheese bread from the bakery (you can't miss it) is absolutely amazing!
Anonymous
Posted April 2, 2012
The Underside of Joy looks at the role of the step-mother in forming a cohesive family and the threat that ensures when that bond is threatened. I admit that it forced me to walk in a different pair of shoes throughout the novel and I found a great deal of sympathy with both the biological mother and step-mother as they tried to bridge the gulf between them. Seré Prince Halverson has an easy style of writing that lets the words glide across the pages. A good read.
Anonymous
Posted April 2, 2012
The Underside of Joy
I highly recommend The Underside of Joy. It is a wonderful story about finding hope when the unthinkable happens. The novel tells the story of Ella Beane, whose world is ripped apart when the love of her life, her husband Joe, dies, and the birth mother of her two children, Paige, returns to claim them. Ella is a very likeable character, strong and vulnerable at the same time. I was swept up in her story from the very first page.
In this beautifully woven novel, Ella must uncover the truth, as horrific and heartbreaking as it is at times, and chose between what she believes is best not only for her and her beloved step-children, but what is right. Through her skillfully crafted prose and compelling cast of characters, author Seré Prince Halverson's examines how family deals with tragedy and loss, hurt and betrayal, secrets and lies.
csingh
Posted March 5, 2012
This is Sere Prince Halverson's debut book and simply put, it is beautiful.
Ella Beane and Joe Capozzi, Jr. have been married for three years. They met and had a whirlwind courtship and were married in a few months after meeting each other. When Joe and Ella met, both were having/running away from their pasts/problems. Ella had just left a marriage broken by her inability to carry a child to term, and Joe was dealing with the fallout of his wife Paige leaving without warning and trying to raise his two young children. When one day Joe breaks his own rule, to never turn your back on the ocean, Ella's world comes crashing down.
With Joe gone, Ella is basically the sole care taker of the kids, but she has Joe's family, his parents and brother David, along with her friend Lucy to provide her with advice and support. She works to keep Joe's family business open and from being drowned in debt. On top of all this and her grief at losing Joe, Paige, the children's beautiful biological mother comes back into the picture and it seems she is hostile towards Ella and has a hidden agenda. But Ella is dealing with everything and doesn't have time to let Paige's machinations get to her. Until she receives a subpoena because Paige has filed for physical custody of the kids.
I've given away too much of the story, but you have to understand Ella really loves these kids. She's keeping Joe's business and his family's history going, and she's raising these children as her own. When Paige walked out on them, Annie was 3 and Zach was only a few months old. They call her Mommy. So when Ella finds something that can change the course of the custodial hearing she's torn. Does she submit the evidence or does she keep quiet.
Ms.Halverson has done an amazing job at writing this book and her characters. They're all complex, and definitely now black and white. The shades of grey make you relate and empathize to each and every character, even Paige. I was reading his book while in public and had to try really hard to keep my tears in control in different parts of the book. Ms.Halverson's descriptions are so apt, that I could picture myself on the beach, in the morgue with Ella, looking at Joe's body, the description of the Capozzi family's shop, etc. It was just evocative and stirring overall. I must say I am blown away by this book and by Sere Prince Halverson. She has a gift for writing and I look forward to reading her future books.
auntee9
Posted March 1, 2012
I enjoyed this book. It kept my interest throughout and brought up a lot of other topics. The step-mother was pretty clueless and living in a la-la land. A lived-happily-ever-after book.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.1 Kings 3:16-28, the Bible tells of a story of two women fighting over who was the the mother of one living child. The case was brought before King Solomon, who said he would cut the baby in two, so both women would have the child. One of the women yelled out, "Please, my Lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" After the woman yelled this out he handed her the baby proclaiming, she was indeed the child's mother (NIV).
The Underside of Joy is a heart-wrenching story of two mothers fighting over 'their' children. Ella Beene and Joe Capozzi have made a wonder and caring home for Annie and Zach. Filled with love and surrounded by Joe's big Italian family. One looking in from the outside would never guess that Ella is the stepmother, because in every single way she is their real...and only mother.
Paige Capozzi, the children's biological mother couldn't handle the stress of motherhood. Soon after having Zach, she just checked out. As far as everyone knew she hadn't even bothered to send the kids cards or called to see how they were doing. Joe divorced her shortly after he met Ella, who openly welcomed motherhood. And for three years Joe and Ella seemed to have it all. It all ended one summer morning in '99.
Suddenly, Joe is gone and Ella is on her own with the kids, helping them to deal with their grief. When out of nowhere, Paige turns up. She is ready to take her children back and is ready to fight for them as their biological mother. Ella's world is turned even more upside than she thought possible, as Paige begins making outrageous claims about Joe. Two women fighting over the children they believe to be theirs. The Underside of Joy will have you asking yourself...what makes a mother, but wait to make judgement because you might not have the whole story.
The Underside of Joy is Seré Prince Halverson debut novel. This one had be grabbing for the kleenex over and over and over again! But don't worry you won't be crying long, because you won't hardly be able to put it down!
I absolutely LOVED this book! I mean it really plays with the heartstrings. I'm not a stepmother, but I know without a doubt if I was I would be just as much a mama bear as I would be with my biological children making me relate to Ella...and if someone was with my biological children no matter who she was or how wonderful she was to my children, well she wouldn't be me and I would fight like crazy for them, so I could relate on some level to Paige! What a story! And what I've written about today is only the first layer of this amazing story! That's right there is so much more, so much deeper. Ella really walks through some serious stuff to find her way to the end. I have only good things about this book, it was amazing! This is a book I know I will be sharing with the women in my life!
Anonymous
Posted February 7, 2012
I could not put this book down! This was such an inspiring book. I cant wait for more books from this author!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MaijaW
Posted January 5, 2012
A great read. It takes place near my home in the California Redwoods which was such fun! I was completely involved in the characters and loved the twists and turns. You'll really enjoy this book!
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Overview
“[An] exquisite debut . . . moving and hopeful.” –People Style Watch
To Ella Beene, happiness means living in the Northern California river town of Elbow, California, with her husband Joe and his two young children. But one summer day Joe drowns, leaving Ella alone with Annie and Zach—until his ex-wife, Paige, shows up at the funeral. For three years, Ella believed that Paige had selfishly abandoned her family. Yet—as the custody fight between ...