After Annie, Anna Quindlen, author, Gilli Messer, narrators
This is a tender-hearted story about loss and grief, but it is not maudlin, and it leaves readers thoughtful and a little hopeful about our own ability to deal with life’s traumas effectively.
A family is shattered when Annie, the female head of their happy household, suddenly suffers an unexpected aneurysm that forever after alters their lives. Her death leaves a hole that is very hard to fill because she was unselfish and undemanding, compassionate, but firm in her discipline, very hard working and the quintessential mother and wife.
Bill suddenly finds himself to be a father who is adrift and grief-stricken, tasked with the sole responsibility of raising his 4 young children, Ali, Anthony, Benji, and Jamie. To deal with his pain, he never mentions his wife, their mother, again.
Ali, age 13, was the oldest child. She was very responsible and mature, and in spite of her grandmother’s cruel tongue, often remained silent. She took on the care of the family. Because theirs had been a happy family, unlike others that are mentioned in the novel, the lack of communication was troublesome. They were not able to discuss their feelings adequately, making their adjustment to their loss even harder. Their family had been loving and warm while Annie was alive, but when she died, Bill’s withdrawal and reticence made their mother’s absence even more complete. He loved them, but he didn’t know how to deal with his own misery, let alone theirs.
A few relatives, a best friend and some single women stepped in to try and help. Some bullies were unkind, but the school helped by providing counseling for the two eldest children, Ant and Ali. The younger two boys seemed to be adjusting fairly well. The social worker was very effective in her dealings with Ali and Ant and was able to engage them in conversation so they opened up about their feelings and problems. She was even able to guide Bill to help him improve his parenting skills.
Gently and with appropriate restraint, Quindlen deals with incest and drug addiction, fidelity and infirmity, domineering and dysfunctional parents, the aged and the young. In some cases, there are positive outcomes, in others, there are no good solutions. This is not a fairy tale, but an authentic presentation of how we deal with the stress and the heartache humans deal with, often as a result of poor choices, illness, both physical and mental, financial instability, class distinctions, loneliness and the cruelty of some that may take many forms.
There are characters in the book that knowingly participate in wrongdoing, and in this matter, I found the book too thin. I think there should have been stronger moral judgment about the choice of taking drugs to escape, about Ali’s friend Jennie’s situation with her dad, about Jennie’s mom’s complicity and about her sister’s absence. I would have liked the story to deal with the crimes of the father with more substance and perhaps some suggestions for solutions. Why did the system fail, and how can it be fixed?
The many different kinds of relationships like that of Ali and her friend Jennie, of Bill and Liz, Angie and Anna Marie, Jennie and her father, Jennie’s mom and dad, Bill and Annie, are used to illustrate human frailties and “the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to” as Hamlet eloquently explains. They also point to the hope and possibility of a corrected course, if we ever fall off the wagon and go too far astray. Life is meant to be good. ( )

The writing by Quindlen remains sharp. Narrated by 3 people the daughter, best friend and husband this is a story of grief and healing. Everyone does this differently of course but it was interesting to compare. It is hard but then she just feels the need to tie it up maybe a bit too neatly. A year of mourning is essential. ( )

Heartbreaking account of a family's devastation upon the sudden death of Annie, their wife/mother/best friend. Annie dies and everyone's life is upended. Her husband is at odds, and doesn't know how to take care of the children, leaving the older daughter to take on added responsibility for herself and her younger brothers. The best friend, a recovering addict, speaks to the daughter and tells her of the grief she feels over losing Annie. The daughter meets with the school therapist, and through her, starts the healing process. Throughout it all, the family and the friend hear Annie's voice in their heads, reminding them of her and how to behave.
A beautiful book about death and dealing with grief, and learning to heal. ( )

"They were all floating in some in-between where nothing seemed real and nothing seemed right. Waiting for the rest of life, whatever that was, a future that felt like a betrayal."

When Anne “Annie” Fonzheimer Brown, a mother of four in her thirties, dies suddenly, her children, husband and lifelong best friend are left struggling to cope with their loss. Her husband Bill, reeling from the shock of his wife’s sudden demise and drowning in his own grief finds it difficult to juggle his business and family responsibilities, unable to fathom how to address their new reality with his four children - thirteen-year-old Alexandra “Ali”, eleven-year-old Anthony “Ant”, eight-year-old Benjamin “ Benjy”, and six-year-old James “Jamie”. Ali takes it upon herself to hold the family together, assuming the role of an adult to take care of her father and siblings, each of whom is missing their mother in their own way. Annemarie, Annie’s closest friend, who depended on Annie for support during her dark phases, falls back into her destructive habits, struggling to keep her life from hitting rock bottom.

The narrative follows these characters over the course of a year as they navigate life without Annie, whose unconditional love, support and guidance remain a source of strength even though she has passed on.

"Grief was like spring, maybe. You thought you were getting out from under it and then it came roaring back. And getting out from under it felt like forgetting, and forgetting felt like treason."

After Annie by Anna Quindlen is a beautifully penned, evocative character-driven story that explores loss, grief, addiction, family and remembrance. This is a quiet, slow-paced novel written in simple yet elegant prose. The characters are real and relatable, as are their emotions and reactions to the bereavement they experience and the people around them. The narrative is structured in segments covering the seasons of the following year. As her family members and best friend mourn Annie, we are given insight into who Annie was as a person and her dynamic with those around her, through their memories of her. The sub-plots revolving around the main characters add depth to narrative while also allowing us to explore their respective personal journeys over the course of a year. The story features several supporting characters, most of whom have a significant role to play. While shared loss can bring people together, grief also requires individuals to cope with their respective loss in their own space. The author brilliantly captures both these aspects - how grief manifests in different ways and how Annie’s near and dear ones, the adults and her children, gradually learn to move on in her absence, both as a family drawing strength from one another and as individuals with hope and emotional resilience. Needless to say, this is a thought-provoking story that inspires pause and reflection.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 27, 2024. ( )

I liked her earlier books but this was boring and trite. Nothing new to make me want to read on. ( )