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A review by lauren_soderberg
The Second Home by Christina Clancy
4.0
Christina Clancy’s The Second Home is, in many ways, a treatise on growth amid adversity. (Or, in some cases, the lack thereof.) It’s a story about the power of familial bonds, and of the ways that life can be achingly imperfect.
When Ann Gordon meets Michael Davis, their connection is instant. Recently orphaned, Michael is welcomed into the Gordon household, and is eventually adopted. He is embraced as a brother by Ann’s little sister, Poppy, though Ann’s feelings for Michael (and his for Ann) are far more complicated. After an eventful, traumatic summer spent at the Gordon’s summer home on Cape Cod, Ann, Michael, and Poppy become estranged. Fifteen years later, their parents have died, and the three of them must come face-to-face with the ghosts of the past.
Personally, I think this novel packs quite a punch. The use of close third person narration style, with each chapter alternating between Ann, Michael, and Poppy’s perspectives, was highly effective. The manner in which the story unfolds creates a sense of nostalgia as well as a sense of irritation. Without providing any spoilers, there is a significant miscommunication that transpires between two of the protagonists that festers, and it’s difficult to read about. I also had a difficult time empathizing with Ann's anger and unwillingness to communicate, but perhaps that is kind of the point. Clancy’s characters are all flawed in their own ways and are written in an achingly human way.
This would be the perfect novel for those who enjoy a female-centric, introspective read, and who appreciate compelling, imperfect characters.
An ARC was generously provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review.
When Ann Gordon meets Michael Davis, their connection is instant. Recently orphaned, Michael is welcomed into the Gordon household, and is eventually adopted. He is embraced as a brother by Ann’s little sister, Poppy, though Ann’s feelings for Michael (and his for Ann) are far more complicated. After an eventful, traumatic summer spent at the Gordon’s summer home on Cape Cod, Ann, Michael, and Poppy become estranged. Fifteen years later, their parents have died, and the three of them must come face-to-face with the ghosts of the past.
Personally, I think this novel packs quite a punch. The use of close third person narration style, with each chapter alternating between Ann, Michael, and Poppy’s perspectives, was highly effective. The manner in which the story unfolds creates a sense of nostalgia as well as a sense of irritation. Without providing any spoilers, there is a significant miscommunication that transpires between two of the protagonists that festers, and it’s difficult to read about. I also had a difficult time empathizing with Ann's anger and unwillingness to communicate, but perhaps that is kind of the point. Clancy’s characters are all flawed in their own ways and are written in an achingly human way.
This would be the perfect novel for those who enjoy a female-centric, introspective read, and who appreciate compelling, imperfect characters.
An ARC was generously provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review.