As a newborn, William Water's three-year-old sister dies, casting a shadow over his parents from which they never could escape. William is a gentle soul whose presence reminds his parents that their firstborn is dead. As a child, William would hide in the closet to cough so as not to upset them; his youth in 1960's Boston is one of silence and loneliness.
William goes away to college in Chicago, where he becomes a couple with Julia Padavano. When William's parents don't attend their wedding their lack of love for him is underscored. In marrying into the lively and loving Padavano family, William is embraced by the four sisters and their working-class parents.
Julia likes to be in control and takes it upon herself to direct William's life as she senses that he is lost. But after the young couple has a daughter, William's pervasive depression does not go away. On the contrary, he worries his darkness will smother baby Alice's light and so he leaves his little family and gives up his rights to his child. William almost self-destructs, and Sylvie, Julia's next younger sister, comes to his rescue. Julia decides she's done with him and moves herself and baby Alice to New York.
Napolitano's epic novel details each character's burdens, heartache and passion in a gripping way. The Padavanos are portrayed in all their colorful, fascinating glory, and William's involvement with the family shakes it to its core. The Padavano sisters are a story unto themselves, and as a reader I was captivated by their dynamics throughout the decades.
The promise of redemption propels the plot forward. When Sylvie is trying to help William climb out of his darkness, she describes herself feeling as if her hands are full, but she has no pockets. This is a beautiful metaphor for life with all its love, grief, joy and wonder. As the sisters' father, Charlie Padavano says, people are not contained between our hats and boots. Napolitano displays that incredibly throughout this sweeping and ultimately hopeful novel. This book, along with Napolitano's Dear Edward, has secured the author in this reader's mind as a favorite. Highly recommended!
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