TENDER WARRIORS

by Rachel Guido deVries ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 10, 1986

An overlong, sentimentalized, but ultimately affecting first novel all about unlocking the secrets that lie at the heart of family strife. The tender warriors of the title are the battling members of the DeMarco family of Syracuse, New York. The father, Dominic, is a traditional Italian patriarch who (two years after the death of his sainted wife, Josie) finds himself faced with disturbingly ""modern"" problems: his eldest daughter, Rosie, is a lesbian, and the middle child, Lorraine, is an ex-junkie who lives in a trailer with a black man and a grandchild Dominic has never seen. Naturally, Dominic's anger has driven both of the girls away from him, and soon fat, shuffling, shambling Sonny--still the baby of the family at age 27--1eaves home, fed up after a lifetime of being bullied as a sissy by his father. He goes to ground in a sleazy apartment and works as a short-order cook in a greasy spoon, his only companions prostitutes, cabbies and other nighthawks (who sense his innocence and protect him). Given to minor seizures all his life, Sonny now becomes confused; he believes his mother is still alive, and that if he can speak with her, she'll intercede with Dominic. He begins to call home and make wandering journeys looking for Josie; in the meantime, Rose learns from Sonny's doctor that he has a malformation of the brain, present since birth but only now evident: ""The interconnectedness of body and spirit, the intimacy with which the body responded to the thwarting of the spirit."" If he doesn't have surgery, he'll die. This crisis brings the DeMarcos together: they search for Sonny, find him, and are able to save his life. A mawkish plot, worthy of a daytime soap opera, but against all odds, deVries makes it work, mainly because she imbues all her characters (but especially Sonny) with a deeply spiritual belief in the power of family, and love.

Pub Date: June 10, 1986

ISBN: 0932379141

Page Count: -

Publisher: Firebrand

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1986

Categories: FICTION