The History of Us: A Novel
Stewart (Husband and Wife, 2011) takes what could have been a sitcom premise—a single aunt left to care for her sister’s three orphaned children—and turns it into a poignant exploration of the meaning of family. By fast-forwarding from the point of tragedy (when fledgling professor Eloise Hempel inherits her nieces, Theo and Claire, and nephew, Josh), Stewart deftly avoids the trap of relaying stock scenes of the incompetent singleton flummoxed by tasks such as preparing breakfast. Instead, we meet the siblings in early adulthood, each struggling with questions of identity and a desire for roots they fear might not exist. Meanwhile, Eloise is plagued by thoughts of what might have been and the personal sacrifices she made to fill her sister’s shoes. A tug-of-war emerges between Eloise and Theo, the eldest of the children, over whether or not to sell the family homestead. Eloise views the house as a burden. For Theo, it’s home. Resolution comes when the two finally understand that the life they’ve lived was as much a gift as the life they lost. --Patty Wetli