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Title: A powerful story of family, love, and lies.
Review: I enjoyed this tenderly told story of several generations of a close-knit Irish American family. The novel chronicles ways in which their lives are shaped by familiar forces -- war, death, love, and religion -- and just as significantly, by lies. Billy, the flawed but endearing central character, is first introduced by members of his family who are gathered for his funeral. Through them, we learn of Billy's painful past. I loved McDermott's polished prose and the way it is used to describe the thoughts of the characters. The novel examines, through the lives of ordinary people, the complex question of how be become who we are.
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