GREAT READS

The Art of Mending

Elizabeth Berg.

I really enjoyed Elizabeth Berg's The Art of Mending, a story about a family reunion where three siblings - Caroline, Laura, and Steve - reunite with their parents. The five of them go to the annual local fair that they have enjoyed over the years. There, the siblings, now adults and some with children of their own, remember and question many of their childhood memories. When Caroline confides in Laura and Steve that their mother isn't quite the wonderful woman they believe her to be, they wonder if they can trust a seemingly outlandish story coming from their historically dramatic sister. Will the truth bring them closer together or tear them apart?

The Art of Mending is not a happy book; in fact, the story is often disturbing, but riveting. Though intense, the characters are so believable that it somehow felt realistic to me. I would recommend this book to fans of bittersweet literary fiction. Berg's stories make for excellent book discussion picks - there's much to talk about with family secrets, drama and relationships!  Readers may also enjoy Berg's novel The Last Time I Saw You, available at the library.

Recommended by Pam Wiseman