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From Publishers Weekly
The title of Cronin's debut collection of eight interconnected stories, set between 1979 and the present, implies that the content will be devoted to the relationship between the eponymous duo. Instead, they don't appear in the same tale until halfway through, detailing their marriage in their early 30s after both become teachers. Before this, there's a lengthy opening story concerning the events leading up to the accidental death of O'Neil's parents, Arthur and Miriam; another story on how O'Neil and his older sister, Kay, cope with the aftermath; and a third about the abortion Mary has at the age of 22. After the wedding, the stories still don't always focus on the pair, with one devoted solely to Kay's own dysfunctional marriage. Cronin, a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, is an accomplished craftsman, and at times his prose is quite moving and beautiful, though the sadness he channels is too often uninflected by humor. Playing out variations on the theme of the inability of parents and children to truly know one another, Cronin is capable of creating fresh poignancy. Readers interested in going straight to the best of the collection should head for "Orphans" and "A Gathering of Shades," in which the author affectingly paints how the two siblings help each other through the pain of living and dying, showcasing the real love story here. Agent, Ellen Levine. (Feb. 13) Forecast: This is a promising debut collection, and national print advertising in the New Yorker and alternative weeklies should target the appropriate readership. Sponsorship announcements will also feature the title on NPR.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
It is 1979, and 19-year-old O'Neil Burke has it all. He's in love, successful in college, and warmed by the affection of his parents and older sister Kay. After a weekend visiting their son, the Burkes, protecting each other from dark, unshared secrets, drive off an icy embankment and die. O'Neil's mounting losses include his girl, his career ambitions, and any sense of direction. Eventually, he finds his way back into a pleasant life, teaching high school English in Philadelphia and marrying Mary. More sorrow solidifies the bond between O'Neil and his sister when she fights a losing battle with cancer in her late thirties. Cronin's key mistake in this fine series of linked short stories about a family weathering crushing blows is indicated by his misleading title. Mary, who makes her first appearance nearly 100 pages into the book, is not nearly the presence that O'Neil, his parents, and his sister are. This is too bad, as the scenes between Mary and O'Neil are rich with affectionate humor, leaving the reader wanting more. Nevertheless, this is a worthy first effort by a novelist worth watching.
-DBeth E. Andersen, Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
-DBeth E. Andersen, Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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First Sentence
ARTHUR IN DARKNESS-drifting, drifting-the planet spinning toward dawn: he awakens in gray November daybreak to the sounds of running water and a great arm brushing the side of his house. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
ARTHUR IN DARKNESS-drifting, drifting-the planet spinning toward dawn: he awakens in gray November daybreak to the sounds of running water and a great arm brushing the side of his house. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
`The moment would pass but until it did, no one was going anywhere.',
By J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Mary and O'Neil: A Novel in Stories (Paperback)
This novel uses eight linked stories of different length and from different perspectives to bring to life the characters of Mary and O'Neil. The stories, focussed on particular events in their lives, are dated so that we can follow the chronology of the events that have shaped the characters of Mary and O'Neil.Most powerful of the stories, for me, was the opening story entitled `Last of the Leaves'. The central characters in this story are O'Neil's parents, Arthur and Miriam. The story opens in November 1979, with Arthur's premonition of death, on a day in which he and Miriam are travelling to visit O'Neil at college. While they are preparing for this trip we learn that each has secrets, and what these secrets are. We learn too that individual secrets can be put aside or forgotten in the shared joy of seeing O'Neil happy. This visit has a tragic aftermath which influences the balance of the novel without overshadowing the events yet to unfold. I enjoyed this novel with its bittersweet observations of different life events, both joyous and tragic. In fewer than 300 pages, Mr Cronin creates likeable and human characters whose experiences both as individuals and as members of family units will be recognisable to so many readers. With fewer than 300 pages, this is a comparatively quick read. Quick, but not necessarily easy. This is the first of Mr Cronin's novels I have read, and I am looking forward to reading the others. Jennifer Cameron-Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great, Great, Great . . .,
By
This review is from: Mary and O'Neil: A Novel in Stories (Paperback)
This is one of the best books I've read in years. I've recommended it to virtually every literate human being I know and they've all agreed -- it's just wonderful. I agree with the reviewer whose only problem with the book was that it had to end. I'd also recommend his new book, The Summer Guest.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The only thing I hated was that it ended,
By A Customer
This review is from: Mary and O'Neil: A Novel in Stories (Paperback)
I really loved this book of inter-connected short stories. I would put it down and not read it for days on end because I didn't want it to end.
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