I can’t believe this is my first Quindlen book. She is fantastic. The first 3/4 of the book was so amazing, I couldn’t wait to keep reading…like until way too late every night. The ending was a bit of a surprise too, which I did not expect and was a refreshing twist. I loved the way it explored family relationships and mostly the role of women, their quiet strength and the way they subtly move the world. So insightful and really honest. Her observations rang true as an argument I remember often trying to make in my feminist literature classes; obviously, she does it much more convincingly. I love books that make you think and re-evaluate what society suggests is the definition of “woman.” A quick, fast, read…highly recommended (not squeaky clean but not gratuitous).

Amazon.com summary: Ellen Gulden is a successful, young New York journalist. But when her mother, Kate, is diagnosed with cancer, she leaves her life in the city to return home and care for her. In the short time they have left, the relationship between mother and daughter – tender, awkward and revealing – deepens, and Ellen is forced to confront painful truths about her adored father.