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Hello, my name is Kelly and I welcome you to the Bookend Diaries book blog. I created this blog to share my own reviews of existing and new books, to discuss with other readers what we’re currently reading, update you on my book club picks, and of course, to ultimately support the work of the authors we all enjoy. I am addicted to reading and I thought this would be a great way to reach out to other readers who are as obsessed with books as I am.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

The Faraday Girls by: Monica McInerney



***Purchased through Barnes and Noble

Synopsis

With the arrival of baby Maggie, the Faraday household increases to six girls and one hapless father, yet there is a seventh Faraday woman whose absence is a keenly felt burden. That Tessa Faraday died too young, leaving her husband to raise their five daughters, was unbearable enough, but when teenage Clementine, the youngest, announces she's pregnant and that she intends to raise the baby with her sisters' help, Tessa's absence becomes overwhelming. Though they have been locked away since her death, Tessa's private diaries prove to be an irresistible lure to Sadie, who betrays the family trust by reading them in hopes that their mother, who had achieved iconic status in death, would reveal the secrets of perfect motherhood. What Sadie discovers, however, ends up shattering the family. Decades later, it falls to Maggie to put the Faraday clan back together again. Crossing the globe, from Australia to Manhattan to Dublin, McInerney's bewitching multigenerational saga lavishly and lovingly explores the resiliency and fragility of family bonds.

My Review Comments:

This is a story about an Irish family set in the backdrop of Australia, and crosses over to Dublin, Ireland, and finally ends up in Manhattan, New York. The Faraday girls lose their mother at a very young age, and or left to live with their eccentric inventor father, Leo. He is a very secretive man who holds his late wife in high regard. Leo works out in his shed everyday on his numerous inventions while surrounded by his wife’s most valued possessions. There are five Faraday sisters with many secrets too, which secrets will eventually be revealed with the discovery of their late mother’s diaries, which will break this once close-knit family apart. The key to bringing this family back together will be their niece Maggie who is brought back upon her Grandfather’s request to do the annual celebration of “Christmas in July”, a longstanding tradition for the Faraday girls. Her Grandfather has a special surprise gift for his daughters that will bring them back to the love, loyalty and connection that they once shared, along with forgiveness. I really did enjoy this book and the different paths the lives the sisters took to find their own sense of happiness and self.

17 comments:

  1. This sounds like a good read--adding to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. This sounds very busy, but very interesting.

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  3. This does sound interesting. Adding to my TBR list too!

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  4. Wow your blog is beautiful! This sounds like a very intriguing book.

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  5. I just gave you an award! You can pick it up here.

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  6. I've got an award for Kelly, too.

    Visit Bons Vivants to pick it up!

    http://bonsvivantsblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/sunshine-award.html

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  7. I never heard of this book before, so thank you for putting it on my radar. It sounds really nice. Curious what the secrets from the sisters are.. :)

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  8. I have this book in my tbr pile. After reading your review I will have to move it up near the top!

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  9. I love to read novels and this one being Irish makes it even more interesting, for I am of Irish ancestory. I want to thank you for your kind comment about my table.

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  10. I am visiting from the hop last week (new follower too). Thanks for the review, I'm adding a few books to my TBR list!

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  11. I always used to read books about a large family that covered multi generations and that lived and traveled from one ocean to the next. This book sounds like one of those and an absolute treat. Thanks for review and a new author for me!

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  12. This book sounds great! I really like that cover and then to see that the book is about generations of one family - that's always what I like. I'll have to look into it!

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  13. Thanks for bringing my attention to this book - it sounds great and looks like one I would really enjoy! On to the TBR it goes . . . .

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  14. What an interesting sounding book. Books about families facing struggles around staying together as a family always have been fascinating to me. It is definitely one that I want to read.

    I am currently reading Wolf Hall.

    bstilwell12 at comcast dot net

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  15. This book sounds like one for my list. Thanks for your review comments

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  16. just wanted to give you an update - I ordered this book from Bookmooch and its featured in my Mailbox Monday this week - thanks for the recommendation!

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