On the Divinity of Second Chances: A Novel - Softcover

McLaren, Kaya

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0143115189 ISBN 13: 9780143115182

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2009

Synopsis

A broken family finds its way back together in this captivating story from the author of Church of the Dog

A charismatic author with a voice and message all her own, Kaya McLaren has become beloved in the book world as much for her upbeat energy as for her rich storytelling. In On the Divinity of Second Chances, she portrays a family on the brink of dissolution-a mother besieged by middle age, a distant father lost in daily life, and their three teenage children struggling in various ways with the family's disintegration even as they conceal a secret that could send their parents further over the edge. With the help of a group of tap-dancing old ladies, a sensual tango teacher, and a lot of luck, this family is about to learn that everyone gets a second chance which, as McLaren beautifully reminds us in this inspiring novel, is sometimes even better than the first.

About this title

About the Author:

Kaya McLaren teaches art and lives on the east slope of Snoqualmie Pass in Washington state with her dog, Big Cedar. Her second novel, On the Divinity of Second Chances, will be published by Penguin in winter 2009.

From AudioFile:

This delightful novel of a family turning crises into opportunities is given a Rolls Royce production, with each character performed by a different actor as the narrative point of view shifts from Grandma Pearl, to Phil, then Anna, then their three grown children--and, from time to time, even to the moon. Anna's voice is particularly elegant; Phil's warm and appealing; Olive, the banker daughter, and Forrest, the runaway son, are both artfully performed; and pistol-toting, tap-dancing Pearl provides splendid comic relief. Younger daughter Jade, at the heart of the book, has a regrettable flat quack to her voice, but it would take far more than that to diminish the many pleasures of this listening experience--and the big-hearted charm of the author's vision. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0143115189
• ISBN 13: 9780143115182
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352