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Small Mercies: A Novel
Unavailable
Small Mercies: A Novel
Unavailable
Small Mercies: A Novel
Audiobook11 hours

Small Mercies: A Novel

Written by Eddie Joyce

Narrated by Scott Aiello

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

A startling and tender portrait of one family's struggle to make peace with their son's death

An ingeniously layered narrative, told over the course of one week, Eddie Joyce's debut novel masterfully depicts an Italian-Irish American family on Staten Island and their complicated emotional history. Ten years after the loss of Bobby-the Amendola family's youngest son-everyone is still struggling to recover from the firefighter's unexpected death. Bobby's mother, Gail; his widow, Tina; his older brothers Peter, the corporate lawyer, and Franky, the misfit; and his father, Michael, have all dealt with their grief in different ways. But as the family gathers together for Bobby Jr.'s birthday party, they must each find a way to accept a new man in Tina's life while reconciling their feelings for their lost loved one.

In unflinching but lyrical prose, Joyce shows us one mother's struggle to keep her family together and preserve the memory of her son. Following Gail as she moves from the corner offices of white-shoe Manhattan law firms to the blue-collar gin mills of the outer boroughs, Small Mercies reveals a different New York, one that exists in the hearts and minds of its inhabitants.

Presented through multiple points of view, Small Mercies explores the conflicts and deep attachments that exist within families. Heart-wrenching and profoundly relatable, Joyce's debut is a love letter to Staten Island and a deeply affecting portrait of an American family.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 10, 2015
ISBN9780698190290
Unavailable
Small Mercies: A Novel

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Reviews for Small Mercies

Rating: 4.017244827586207 out of 5 stars
4/5

29 ratings8 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The overall arc is about a family dealing with the death of a son (brother, and husband) in the World Trade Center bombings. It only covers one week ten years later, but with many, many flashbacks. I came to care about the characters, even though they are all too human. I was angrier with some than others about their choices and screw-ups, but isn't that what makes them human? The final chapter "Epilogue" was a bit odd. I thought perhaps he didn't know how to end the book--but I think it could have ended better by just leaving that epilogue out. I do recommend the book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Amandola family of Staten Island, mother and father Gina and Michael and three sons, Frank, Peter and the late Michael, still trying to get over his death ten years later, a firefighter, who died in the south tower during 9/11. A family that has all the problems regular families have, a family just like you and I wanting only the best for our children.There are some books that just make you feel like you know this family, that you are part of the story and this is such a book. It is hard not to become invested in their lives, the author does such a great job at letting us know the main characters. The problems during Gail and Michal's marriage, Peter who is so very successful but puts it all at risk. Frankly who misses his brother terribly, drinks too much and just can't seem to get his life on track. I loved the intimacy of this story, the poignancy, and will now watch form the small mercies that fill my day.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really liked this book. I felt like I got to know who Bobby was through all of the different people's points of views. Yet as much as I liked this book I did not get so connected to them that I became emotional. Which can sometimes happen with a story. Not to say that this factor took away from me reading experience. As I said before I did like this book. One thing that did surprise me is the use of the "f" word. It was not just a few times but many times used throughout the book. At first I was thrown off by the use of it but I got over it. Because it was not just used haphazardly but to evoke emotions that the characters were feeling. So if cursing is used for a genuine purpose I have no problems. Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy this book and do look forward to what Mr. Joyce comes out with next.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the story of a troubled family with three sons. The story is told through a series of flashbacks as well as during their adult lives. The central focal point is that one of the sons, Bobby, suffers an untimely death and the families' struggle to come to terms with this. However, the book is much more as the family was dysfunctional back when the boys were young kids. I don't want to give too much away but this is a very mature well conceived drama that makes you feel for the characters and their pain.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fantastic book. Sad, happy, with all the family issues
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Perfectly structured and executed, this is a heart wrenching Staten Island saga of three brothers - the successful lawyer Peter, the drunk Franky, and Bobby, the compassionate firefighter killed on 9/11. The voices of parents and wives are also heard. Although I grew up in the suburbs of NYC, I never visited Staten Island except for ferry turnaround. Here it is portrayed as a small town populated by Irish and Italian civil servants who look inwardly in a typical small island mentality, albeit that it is a companion borough to mighty Manhattan. It also served as a graveyard for the remains of the World Trade Center, and 274 residents died.Parents Gail and Michael Amendola are very much the products of their parents: Gail's alcoholic Brooklyn father and cold, cruel mother, and Michael's kind butcher father Enzo, who only wants to turn over his business to his unwilling son. Every insight into these families, and to Bobby's widow Tina, ring rich and true and valuable. Small Mercies (a phrase spoken by each character) belongs on many shelves: the 9/11, the family saga, and, especially, the well written contemporary novel, smoothly and successfully juggling multiple points of view.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    No words
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A special thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Viking and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. SMALL MERCIES, a powerful, absorbing, and emotional rich debut by talented Eddie Joyce, a psychological account offamily, tragedy, sorrow, loss and love. Told from different POVs, an Italian-Irish American working class multi-generational family living on Staten Island; the Amendola family. They are struggling to recover from Bobby's unexpected death, a firefighter, hero, a husband, a son, and father, in the Twin Towers on 9/11. He was one of the many first-responders who never made it out of the burning buildings.Bobby's mother Gail; his widow Tina, his older brothers Peter, the corporate lawyer, Frankie, the black sheep and misfit, and father, Michael, have all dealt with their grief in their own ways. We hear from each character with issues and stories of their own. From strong personalities, especially Gail, the matriarch and rock, mother (Irish Catholic) who desperately tries to hold the family together. Married into a family of Italian Catholic and all sorts of problems of families with topics of March Madness basketball, alcoholism, marriage problems, emotional baggage, infidelity, among others.Gail’s world revolves around her family and her home. Gail continues to resent her husband and mourn her son 10 years after his death, and still talks to him. She has little relationship with her oldest son, Peter, the one who escaped to become a successful lawyer. Gail is disappointed and Michael retreats to alcohol and silence.Michael, the husband, firefighter, like Bobby, goes to the Leaf, for drinks every night. Bobby Sr. became a firefighter like his father, Michael, who strongly resisted becoming a butcher like his own immigrant father, thus depriving his family of some security.Peter is the 'successful' son, a corporate lawyer who has made a life-wrenching mistake and may now lose his wife and children. He has left Staten Island, and resides in Manhattan. No one else in the Amendola family has left 'the rock', their nickname for Staten Island. Peter is married to Lindsay and the big question is can she forgive him for what he's done. Middle son Frankie, the family’s black sheep, an alcoholic who's never been the same since his brother died. He is in and out of trouble, jail, and drunk most of the time. The lost child, the 'loser' broke, and looking for the next female to bed, and someone to bail him out of trouble.Bobby’s widow, Tina, with whom Gail is very close, has finally become involved with another man, introduced to her by Peter. She wants to bring Wade to Bobby Jr.’s birthday party without a scene and hopes they will accept her decision, as she wants to remain a part of the extended family. Tina and two children, want to find a new life and a future in order to move on.The big event, Bobby Jr.’s birthday party. They must each find a way to accept a new man in Tina's life while reconciling their feelings for their lost loved one. A heartbreaking story, covering one week. Ten years have passed and they feel they should be getting on with their lives; however, how do you forget? Joyce writes with sensitivity and compassion, as you feel the guilt, the doubt, suffering, sorrow, and the deep emotion from this tragedy of 9/11; from each of the respective character voices. Flashbacks and reminiscences from present to past, the author cleverly ties all pieces together with raw emotion, and different perspectives--from their humble beginnings to their all hopes and dreams.Joyce delivers an outstanding betrayal of a flawed yet remarkable American family, with well-developed realistic characters; beautifully written, from lies to truths, a tender portrait of a grieving family, mixed with humor and honesty, and assured to capture your heart.Looking forward to reading more from this gifted storyteller!