A mesmerizing read.
Will Henry achieve a newfound sense of self with the help of Josef, or is Josef yet another false star in a constellation of malevolent men with which Henry is surrounded? Combining the lyricism of Justin Torres\' We the Animals with the kaleidoscopic visions of boyhood in David Mitchell\'s Black Swan Green , Matthew Daddona\'s debut novel The Longitude of Grief is a tender rumination on the familial bonds that entangle and entrance us all..
When Henry befriends an elderly man, Josef, whose sagaciousness presents new possibilities in life, he wonders if he can escape the trappings of his small town, and of his own mind.
In this poetic and at times philosophical coming-of-age novel, Henry must learn to navigate his inherited guilt and trauma alongside several generations of dispirited loners-among them his absent father, suffering mother, three wild cousins, and bumbling stepfather.
But growing up is seldom the same as moving on. -Helen Phillips, author of The Need Henry Manero wants to grow up.
A debut rich with melancholy beauty and emotional acumen.
This dark coming-of-age tale explores the ebb and flow of intimacies and betrayals in a small town over the course of the years.
In The Longitude of Grief , Matthew Daddona traces the complex connections among a boy, his family, and his community.
A mesmerizing read