Here is one of those novels I won't be forgetting. It's a family saga surrounding a man with a tragic flaw and the women in his life. I disliked James Piper as much as I can remember disliking any literary character, and felt a different kind of sympathy for each of the women surrounding him--his wife Materia and their daughters, especially Materia and Frances. The story unfolds a little at a time, as Frances comes closer and closer to realizing some of the truths that are fundamental in her life. In the end, there are four generations of story that come together very well in the end.

This is a beautifully written, tragic story. It was a fascinating read, but contains violence and domestic abuse that makes it also a hard read.