WHERE THE WHITE LIGHT BENDS

In Blaine’s novel, everyone is hiding something at the Civil family’s latest gathering.

On the day of a much-anticipated family dinner, Margaret, the matriarch of the Civil family, has her hands full. She’s determined to prepare her famous green bean casserole, despite the clear objections of her perfectionist daughter Julia, who’s hosting the event, and she’s enlisted her other daughter, Sydnie, to sneak into Julia’s house to drop it off. In addition, Margaret’s husband, Artie, forgot his lunch, so she has to bring it to him at the toy shop he owns. All three of her granddaughters (Julia’s kids, Dahlia and Ariel, and Syndie’s child, Kelly) have their own secrets; one is about to reveal her true self to her family, and another briefly vanishes. After an eventful day, the Civils finally see one another, exactly as they are. The day unfolds in alternating chapters following Margaret, her daughters, and her granddaughters. Blaine richly describes the minute details of her characters’ everyday lives and the kitchens, bedrooms, and cars they inhabit. The family members’ deep knowledge of one another is clear, as when Margaret describes Julia’s house: “a multi-layered fortress, a candy-coated shell—protecting an ego that seemed impossible to contain.” These are characters who are afraid to be quirky, and from the minute Margaret casually smokes a joint before running some errands, she’ll capture readers’ attention. Blaine portrays them all lovingly and with grace; there are no villains here, only members of a family. Overall, it’s an appealing ode to sisterhood, to mother-daughter relationships, and to the importance of defining oneself.

A family drama that brings wicked humor, intriguing rivalries, and engaging revelations to the table.