Review: follows one family over a 350 year period: told in the viewpoint of the women in the family
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 26, 2013
A charming story that follows one family over a 350 year period: told in the viewpoint of the women in the family, focusing on a tradition or an element of the family gathering at Thanksgiving.  What could have been overwhelming in scope, Ellen Cooney manages to jump forward in time for each chapter: detailing the home and the family, without great loss of constancy.  Part of the similarity appears in the voices of the women used to narrate each chapter: many have a similar style and feel to their voice, while not providing a great distinction between the women, it does give solidity and consistent feel to each chapter's retelling, even as the focus may vary.The Morley women are depicted with Cooney's smooth and introspective style that presents a dream-like quality to the novel, while conversations and historical details are dealt with in a more perfunctory manner, they are fashioned in a way that moves the story forward: there is no extraneous detail or embellishment, each word and phrase is specifically placed to present an impression that arrives fully formed and is easy for the reader to grasp.What stood out for me most strongly was the relationship between the women and their family: that adherence to the past while forming new traditions, some lasting generations.  A story that is sure to bring a smile, while perhaps encouraging readers to think in terms of their own family traditions and those who came before, I heartily recommend this story.I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.