THE BLESSINGS
The Blessings rally around one another in times of celebration and those of sorrow, coming together for departures and arrivals, while its members harbor private struggles and moments of personal joy. College student Abby ponders homesickness in her first semester away from her Philadelphia home, while her cousin Stephen commits a petty act of violence that takes a surprising turn, and their aunt Lauren faces a crisis in her storybook marriage she could never have foreseen. Through the lens of one tight-knit Irish Catholic clan over the course of twenty years, this beautifully moving novel explores how our families define us and how we shape them in return.
THE BLESSINGS
Hailed by Stewart O'Nan as "deft and tender" and as one of the best books of 2014 by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Elise Juska's THE BLESSINGS is an extraordinary novel about an ordinary family.
Praise for THE BLESSINGS
“A family so real in all their sorrow, joy and complexity that they could be yours or mine ... bursting with wise observations about the nature of love and belonging.”
J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times-bestselling author of The Engagements and Maine
“A stunning wide-angle snapshot of the Blessing family of Northeast Philadelphia... [t]hey could be any family—and yet, in Juska's capable hands, they're unique and unforgettable.”
Glamour, "10 Best Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List Right This Second"
“[A] bighearted novel... Juska's moving, multifaceted portrait of the Blessing family gleams like a jewel.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer
“There's no shortage of novels about the quirks and tragedies of large families, but The Blessings is a uniquely poignant, prismatic look at an Irish-Catholic clan as it rallies after losing one of its own.”
Entertainment Weekly, "Must List”
“Several generations of the Blessings, a Philadelphia-based, Irish-American family, come beautifully to life in a deceptively simple tale that examines the foibles, disappointments and passions that tie family members together... The author brings a depth of understanding to the human condition.”
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“With a keen eye for detail and character, Juska shows us that, Tolstoy notwithstanding, a happy family can be happy in its own way and make for great storytelling... An exquisite portrait of a large family.”
Shelf Awareness
“It takes a writer with voice and depth to tell the story of a large Irish Catholic family's travails and make it feel fresh. Elise Juska succeeds with this novel set in Northeast Philly, as the ripple effects of one man's death flow through the lives of those left behind.”
Philadelphia Magazine
“This family can feel so real, the prose almost aches.”
Philadelphia City Paper
“Throughout the novel, right up until the affecting final scene, Juska explores the paradox of family—how it is the thing that both stifles and sustains you, how it can be simultaneously predictable and unexpected, stable and fragile... the result is the best kind of family portrait—one in which you know each member's foibles and flaws and yet love them anyway.”
BookBrowse (Editor's Choice)
“Fans of writers like Anne Tyler, Alice McDermott and even Richard Yates will revel in Juska’s resplendent novel detailing two decades in the life of the Blessing clan.”
BookReporter
“We are in good hands with award-winning short story author Juska. She is a shrewd observer of human nature and has an outstanding ability to bring her characters to life on the page... this wonderfully readable work about family life will have you eagerly turning pages.”
Library Journal
“Beautifully crafted… Juska draws the characters so fully, with thoughts and feelings so real, the reader can’t help but become emotionally invested.”
All You
“Juska explores the collective experiences, traditions, and loyalties of a close-knit family… A multilayered, sympathetic account of its members’ lives.”
Kirkus Reviews
“This gem of a novel is not to be missed.”
LitChat
“Juska’s emotionally resonant storytelling will stay with you long after turning the last page.”
Irish America
“In the tradition of Elizabeth Ber'g’s and Alice McDermott;s work, The Blessings is a knowing portrait of a sprawling Irish-American family in Philly… Elise Juska is deft and tender, letting us get close to her characters in their most vulnerable moments.”
Stewart O’Nan, author of Songs for the Missing and Emily, Alone
“In this absorbing novel, Elise Juska moves effortlessly among family members and across decades, covering tragedy and triumph, love and loyalty. I adored everything about this book and raced to finish it, only to turn the last page and long for more time with this large, complicated, close-knit family.”
Jennifer Close, author of The Smart One
“Elise Juska, with a sharp and generous eye, charts the duality of family life in her novel-in-stories, The Blessings… a lasting portrait of what it means to be part of a family in today’s fractured world.”
Siobhan Fallon, author of You Know When the Men Are Gone