It is the spring of 2002 and a perfect storm has hit Boston. Across the city's archdiocese, trusted priests have been accused of the worst possible betrayal of the souls in their care. In Faith, Jennifer Haigh explores the fallout for one devout family, the McGanns.
Estranged for years from her difficult and demanding relatives, Sheila McGann has remained close to her older brother Art, the popular, dynamic pastor of a large suburban parish. When Art finds himself at the center of the maelstrom, Sheila returns to Boston, ready to fight for him and his reputation. What she discovers is more complicated than she imagined. Her strict, lace-curtain-Irish mother is living in a state of angry denial. Sheila's younger brother Mike, to her horror, has already convicted his brother in his heart. But most disturbing of all is Art himself, who persistently dodges Sheila's questions and refuses to defend himself.
As the scandal forces long-buried secrets to surface, Faith explores the corrosive consequences of one family's history of silence—and the resilience its members ultimately find in forgiveness. Throughout, Haigh demonstrates how the truth can shatter our deepest beliefs—and restore them. A gripping, suspenseful tale of one woman's quest for the truth, Faith is a haunting meditation on loyalty and family, doubt and belief. Elegantly crafted, sharply observed, this is Jennifer Haigh's most ambitious novel to date.
Estranged for years from her difficult and demanding relatives, Sheila McGann has remained close to her older brother Art, the popular, dynamic pastor of a large suburban parish. When Art finds himself at the center of the maelstrom, Sheila returns to Boston, ready to fight for him and his reputation. What she discovers is more complicated than she imagined. Her strict, lace-curtain-Irish mother is living in a state of angry denial. Sheila's younger brother Mike, to her horror, has already convicted his brother in his heart. But most disturbing of all is Art himself, who persistently dodges Sheila's questions and refuses to defend himself.
As the scandal forces long-buried secrets to surface, Faith explores the corrosive consequences of one family's history of silence—and the resilience its members ultimately find in forgiveness. Throughout, Haigh demonstrates how the truth can shatter our deepest beliefs—and restore them. A gripping, suspenseful tale of one woman's quest for the truth, Faith is a haunting meditation on loyalty and family, doubt and belief. Elegantly crafted, sharply observed, this is Jennifer Haigh's most ambitious novel to date.
A book we’re so excited about, we’ve made it a V.I.B.! That means it’s a true stand-out in a season of many great new books.
Here's what TC Staff are saying about Faith.
Joe says:
"A South Shore Boston Irish family. Working Class. Drunk Dad. Devout Ma. Oldest boy becomes a Priest. Daughter moves away. Youngest son raises a family of his own. Priest son is accused of molesting a boy. And at this point, you've probably said more than once, 'I've already heard this story.' But the thing is, you haven't. Not by a long shot. Faith is a gripping story of what happens to a family when one of your own is accused of something horrendous. These are true-to-life characters, with heartrending stories. Jennifer Haigh weaves her tale of faith and family and the failures brought about by silence with a realistic ease. The novels moves along... I found it nearly impossible to put down, especially as I neared the end of the story. This is not a Catholics only story; it's truths are universal. I found Jennifer Haigh's voice reminiscent of Dennis Lehane, and that's not meant to be a put-down. She has the Boston brogue down, which only heightens the realism of the story, letting it get deeper in the reader's mind. I recommend you read this book as soon as you can."Jackie says:
"This is the story of a family. A family who shows the world a little and hides a whole lot--even from each other. It's a story of compassion and abuse, lies and secrets, of people who once could finish each other sentences and now don't know who they themselves are, let alone who the people their family have become. It's a story of the many ways love can be given, but also withheld. It's about narrow minds and big dreams--it's about the day to day and it's profound effect on the future. It's about how sometimes grace and sin can be the exact same thing, and how that fact can tear apart hearts and lives. There are so many exquisite dimensions to this book, you really must experience it for yourself to understand. And if that understanding moves you as much as it did me, then we've both spent our time wisely and well."
On Monday, May 16 , Haigh will be reading and signing her book at our Colfax Avenue store at 7:30 pm.
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