A Long Thaw free for you…

Katie O’Rourke is an author of literary fiction that raises central themes about life and relationships.

A Long Thaw is a compelling, multigenerational tale centered around two cousins. Abby and Juliet were close growing up. After Juliet’s parents divorced, the girls’ lives went in different directions.

Abby was an only child and had everything she needed, including both parents. The oldest of three girls, Juliet was thrust into an adult role early, and had to take care of her sisters as well as her neglectful mother (female characters who have strained relationships with their mothers are a recurring theme in O’Rourke’s novels). Juliet’s estranged father was MIA, but not for the reasons she thought.

Abby knows who she is. Juliet has doubts about her on-again, off-again boyfriend and her relationship with her mother; and is angry at her father for abandoning her. When the cousins decide to share an apartment, a series of events unfolds and past family secrets are revealed.

The novel also raises a subtle yet interesting issue of nature versus nurture. Are one’s life choices the product of one’s particular personality and set of genes, or the product of what one was taught by example while growing up?

A Long Thaw is well-written and pulls the reader in, tackling complicated family relationships with understanding. The characters are highly relatable, and you just may see a bit of yourself in them.

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Thank you for reading,
Maria