Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis
2/18/25; 431 pages
Lake Union Publishing
Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis is a highly recommended domestic drama.
Mallory Ward is a social worker who works with at risk youth in Boston. Due to a tragic and stressful situation there, Mallory is encouraged to take time off from work. She decides to returns home to
Little Harbor, Rhode Island, and stay with her mother, Helen, a death
doula who cares for terminally ill clients. The two have had a tense
relationship but hopefully they can mend it.
Making Mallory's
visit more complicated is that Aiden is back in town visiting his
mother, Estelle, in the house next door. He was the love of her life who
who broke off their wedding plans ten years ago. The two have
unresolved issues.
This is an extremely
well-written novel which examines the complex relationship between
mothers and their children, dying with dignity, repairing broken
relationships, and confronting long held secrets. The narrative is told
through Mallory's point-of-view as well as Helen's which include long
descriptive letters she wrote to the love of her life who is gone.
The characters are
fully realized, complex, and depicted as unique individuals with
strengths and flaws. The past and present experiences of these
characters all contain mistakes and secrets, but they all also long for a
resolution and connection. What they seek may vary depending upon the
relationship, but they all must admit to or confront their past to
obtain the trust and reconciliation they currently need.
There are several big
reveals and twists in this family drama. One huge twist was surprising
but it also required setting a large amount of disbelief aside. Helen's
long letters were also a bit too lengthy at times. Every Precious and Fragile Thing started out strong for me but lost some momentum along the way.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an
advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and
expresses my honest opinion.
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