Ask Again, Yes: A Novel

by Mary Beth Keane

hardcover, 400 pages

Published May 28, 2019 by Scribner.

ISBN:: 978-1-9821-0698-0

(10 reviews)

Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope, two rookie cops in the NYPD, live next door to each other outside the city. What happens behind closed doors in both houses—the loneliness of Francis's wife, Lena, and the instability of Brian's wife, Anne—sets the stage for explosive events to come.

Ask Again, Yes is a moving novel about two families, the bond between their children, a tragedy that reverberates over four decades, the daily intimacies of marriage, and the power of forgiveness.

1 edition

pithypants reviewed Ask Again, Yes: A Novel by Mary Beth Keane

Review of 'Ask Again, Yes: A Novel' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Well written, character-driven, spanning three generations of two Irish-American families in New York. I thought the writing was great, but when I went to recommend it to another friend who had actually already read it, her response was, "I found it horribly depressing." I include that in case you're looking for a book that's up-lifting. That said, I didn't find it depressing. Yes, there were some tragic events and circumstances, but at its core, this is a book about the complexity of relationships and the sacrifices we make for others.

Amber Herbert reviewed Ask Again, Yes: A Novel by Mary Beth Keane

Review of 'Ask Again, Yes: A Novel' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Keane did a fantastic job illustrating the hardships and triumphs of two intertwined families. The Gleesons and Stanhopes proved to be fully formed and compelling characters who traversed difficult paths without coming off cloying or saccharine. Many novels like this would toe the line of unbelievability, but I was pleasantly surprised by how everything was fleshed out and handled delicately and tactfully.