Fiction Book of the Month

The Past: A Novel (Hardcover)

By Tessa Hadley

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ISBN: 9780062270412

Availability: Hard to Find

Published: Harper - January 5th, 2016

Bestselling British writer Tessa Hadley's The Past brings four middle-aged siblings and their families together for what might be their last summer holiday in the family's country home. Old family dynamics and surprising new twists make for a delightful, entertaining and thought-provoking novel. Hadley's storytelling deftly weaves the family's past, with all its ghosts and memories, jealousies and nearly unconditional love in with its present reality of squabbling and deep affection. Each player in The Past is uniquely engaging: from fading beauty Alice with her ex-boyfriend's 20 year old son Kasim, in tow, sister Frans's odd and captivating young children Ivy and Arthur, Harriet, lonely and harboring a dark and secret longing, and all the others, each with an agenda, all under one roof. The perfect storm for an utterly wonderful, brilliantly crafted novel. The Telegraph calls The Past keenly intelligent, and I certainly agree. A wonderful way to begin your reading year. -- Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Lead Buyer