Generational family saga. Nora and her sister Theresa leave their small Irish farming village in the 50s for Boston. Nora is engaged to marry Charlie from next door who has already emigrated and has lots of family in Boston. Theresa is 17 and carefree. She ends up pregnant and there begins the family secrets. She becomes a nun and Nora and Charlie adopt the baby but let everybody, including all their family, think Nora had the baby. The book tells their story through the years but in alternating chapters is focused on 2009 when Patrick (the baby) has just died and the family gathers for his funeral. The sisters have been estranged and none of Nora's other children even know their mother had a sister who suddenly arrives at the funeral. I thought it was sad that their were SO MANY secrets, that Patrick died never knowing the truth, and that because Nora has so many secrets that there is no real warmth between her and her children. There were times I felt sorry for Nora because she thought she was doing the right thing but overall I did not like her character - she was cold, hard, bitter, and judgmental - even though in her own way she loved her children. I also thought the ending was just kind of there - she goes to visit her sister at the hotel after the funeral and her sister lets her in the room. the end. you are left to assume there will be an apology but I just don't see Nora finally opening up to her children and becoming a warm and loving mother. Overall I liked the story but didn't like Nora.

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