Those twins, and the offspring of one of them, push the narrative into the 1990s and 2000s, after Birdy and Michael’s reconciliation, and the family continues to face hard choices and deep secrets, especially when Birdy’s granddaughter Jordy falls for a Scottish soldier, Robbie MacKaye, when she’s serving as the beard of the gay British actor (and “sexiest man alive” winner) who once pimped teen Robbie out. That’s just a few of the surprises Brenner springs as this empathetic melodrama gathers steam. Others include one son’s struggles as a priest, Michael’s work as choirmaster for prison populations, and various revelations about parentage, though the novel, for all its length, doesn’t devote pages to delving into these in depth.
Brenner tells this sprawling story with crisp clarity and page-turning power. It’s too fast, on occasion, as in the crucial early chapters, where key emotional developments, such as the passion between Birdy and Michael or Michael’s refusal to contact her from prison, are more asserted by the author than felt by the reader. The relationship powering the novel’s final third, between Jordy and Robbie, is more fully developed and traditionally told. Scenecraft is fleet and strong, and themes of music and love resonate throughout.
Takeaway: Empathetic family saga centers love and music in the face of crises.
Comparable Titles: Lucy Robinson’s The Unfinished Symphony of You & Me, Louise Erdrich’s The Master Butchers’ Singing Club.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
