Faith
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Author Description
One woman's search for the truth after scandal rocks her family, and the explosive family secrets she uncovers, in this complex, moving novel from award-winning author Jennifer Haigh. In Faith, Jennifer Haigh explores the repercussions of one family's history of silence, when a priest's sex scandal forces his family's untold past to surface. Art, Sheila, and Mike are siblings in a large extended Irish-American family from the Boston suburbs. Though their father is a non-believer, their mother is lace curtain Irish-Catholic, having raised her children to keep family secrets just that - secret - in a home where most subjects are taboo. Sheila is concerned when Art, beloved priest leading a major Catholic parish outside Boston, seems to fall off the grid just days before Easter. Then the news breaks that he has been accused of sexual misconduct. The media coverage shatters the community and pits Art's family members against one another, leaving Sheila determined to uncover the truth and -she hopes - clear his name. Determined to help prove Art's innocence, Sheila finds herself locking horns with her younger brother, Mike, who cannot shake the feeling that Art might be guilty. By turns disturbed by what Art might have done and furious at the seemingly unfair accusations, the truth remains elusive for readers in this artfully crafted family drama.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
When a beloved priest is accused of sexual misconduct, his sister Sheila embarks on a desperate search for the truth that threatens to dismantle her family's carefully constructed facade. As the scandal erupts in the Boston suburbs, Sheila finds herself at odds with her brother Mike, who harbors deep suspicions regarding their sibling's guilt. The narrative examines the weight of long-held secrets within an Irish-Catholic household, where silence has historically been the primary defense against external scrutiny. Through a shifting perspective that tracks the disintegration of familial trust, the story forces the characters to confront the reality of their shared history and the limits of their loyalty.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Exploration of the Irish-American Catholic experience in the Boston suburbs
- Examination of the psychological impact of institutional scandal on private family dynamics
- Use of a multi-perspective narrative to contrast differing interpretations of the same events
- Focus on the tension between public reputation and private reality
- Analysis of the cultural pressure to maintain silence regarding taboo subjects
- Pacing that mirrors the slow, agonizing reveal of long-buried secrets
- Character-driven conflict centered on the shifting loyalties between siblings
- Detailed depiction of the media's role in shaping community perception during a crisis
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
This novel presents a nuanced look at the intersection of faith, family, and public scandal. The narrative avoids easy answers, instead focusing on the internal friction that arises when personal belief clashes with uncomfortable evidence. Readers are likely to find the exploration of the Irish-Catholic domestic sphere both authentic and unsettling in its portrayal of ingrained silence. The book succeeds by prioritizing the emotional fallout of the accusation over the sensationalism of the crime itself. Ultimately, the story serves as a study of how individuals reconcile their love for a family member with the possibility of their moral failure.
Page Count:
320
Publication Date:
2011-01-01
Publisher:
Harper
ISBN-10:
0007225091
ISBN-13:
9780007225095
Fiction
Contemporary
Mystery
Literary Fiction
Family Drama
Brothers and sisters
Family Secrets
Sexual misconduct by clergy
Fiction
