In early 1900s Fátima, Portugal, three shepherd children were transfixed by a vision of Mary, the Blessed Virgin, visible only to them. Mary revealed three secrets: the reality of hell, how to save souls from the fiery furnace, and the future deaths of prominent individuals. Similarly, this new book by Cunningham explores the interconnected lives of Barrett, Tyler, and Beth, three individuals awaiting deliverance from their own personal dystopia, a dilapidated Bushwick, Brooklyn, apartment. Walking alone through Central Park, Barrett sees a vision in the sky. As he ruminates over his religious experience, his brother Tyler continues caring for Beth, his cancer-stricken wife-to-be, while concealing his battle with drug addiction. Though these characters are all searching for redemption (whether it's through religion, rehab, or a cure), the secret of humanity is ultimately revealed to each through the others' lives.
VERDICT In concise yet descriptive language, Cunningham weaves the secret of transcendence through the mundane occurrences of everyday life. Those who enjoyed his Pulitzer Prize-winning The Hours will be pleased to see similar themes emerging in his newest novel. [See Prepub Alert, 11/11/13.]
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