A novel of family intrigue from aone of the most accomplished writers of fiction of our daya ("The Washington Post")
All Alison ever wanted was a blissful childhood for her six children, with summers at the beach and birthday parties on the lawn at their family home. Together with Ingrid, the family au pair, she has worked hard to create a real aold-fashioned family life.a But beneath its postcard sheen, the picture is clouded by a distant father, Alisonas inexplicable emotional outbursts, and long-repressed secrets that no one dares mention. For years, Alisonas adult children have protected her illusion of domestic perfectionabut as each child confronts the effects of past choices on their current adult lives, it becomes evident that each must face the truth.
Penelope Livelyas novels of history, memory, and character have earned her a loyal readership. Like Ian McEwanas "Atonement, " this novel is a measured, thoughtful look at how events of the past, both small and large, seen and unseen, deeply inform character and the present. Quietly provocative and disturbing, "Family Album" is a highly nuanced work that showcases a master of her craft.