The Sisters - Softcover

Jensen, Nancy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1250095174 ISBN 13: 9781250095176

Publisher: Griffin, 2015

Synopsis

Family secrets reverberate for generations in one of the "Best Novels of 2011" ("Kirkus Reviews)" Growing up without a mother in hardscrabble Kentucky in the 1920s, Bertie Fischer and her older sister, Mabel, have only each other--with perhaps a sweetheart for Bertie waiting in the wings. But on the day that Bertie graduates from eighth grade, good intentions go terribly wrong, setting off a chain of misunderstandings that will change the lives of the next three generations.What happens when nothing turns out as you planned? From the Depression through the second world war and Vietnam, and smaller events both tragic and joyful, Bertie and Mabel forge unexpected identities that are shaped by a past that no one ever talks about. Gorgeously written, with extraordinary insight and emotional truth, Nancy Jensen's brilliant first novel, "The Sisters, " illuminates the far-reaching power of family and family secrets.

About this title

Review:

"I've rarely seen a novel that moves through a number of characters in such a sure-footed and always rewarding way. I really could not put it down. Nancy Jensen has the natural story-teller's ability to command attention, but with sophisticated psychological understanding and beautifully crafted writing. "The Sisters" is a "needed" novel that will become a very popular classic." --Sena Jeter Naslund, author of "Adam & Eve: A Novel" and "Ahab's Wife
""The American Dream has most often been a myth, particularly for women, with reality usually being a hardscrabble life with survival being the main goal. In "The Sisters" Mabel and Bertie and their succeeding generations span the 20th century and their struggles mirror those of the society surrounding them. While crucial decisions and misunderstandings often lead to tragedy for the women of the two families, the characters demonstrate a strength and resilience that enables each to eventually triumph and lead a life of substance on th

"You'll be drawn into the arms of The Sisters as if these women were your own family. You'll want to hold them, warn them, betray their secrets. But this is a novel, one that is fresh and vibrant and complex. You cannot live the sisters' lives, but only share in their joy and heartbreak and ultimate triumph. A remarkably powerful book."
--Sandra Dallas, author of "Prayers for Sale"

""

"Nancy Jensen has the natural story-teller's ability to command attention, but with sophisticated psychological understanding and beautifully crafted writing. "The Sisters" is a "needed" novel that will become a very popular classic."
--Sena Jeter Naslund, author of "Ahab's Wife"

""

"A beautiful and touching novel about the events and choices that shape not only our lives but the lives of generations to come. Nancy Jensen takes us on an epic yet intimate journey through eighty years, ultimately revealing the flawed but lovely landscape that makes up a family. Her characters will stay with

"Fans of THE HELP will be beguiled by Jensen's debut novel. Set in rural Kentucky in the midst of the Depression, and inspired by Jensen's own family history, it centers on an incident that created a lifelong breach between two sisters, one that reverberates throughout three generations. It's a sweet but never saccharine tribute to the pull of family.""--Whole Living
""First-time novelist Jensen--tracing the lives of two sisters separated in their youth by a tragic misunderstanding--[has] an observant eye, adept characterization, and a keen grasp of social issues.""--Publishers Weekly"
"A single tragic event shapes four generations of American women in this accomplished and poignant debut...Encompassing the lives of women in the 20th century, this sprawling saga is tender and satisfying, with a heartbreaking end.""--Kirkus Reviews"

"You'll be drawn into the arms of The Sisters as if these women were your own family. You'll want to hold them, warn them, betray their secrets.

"You'll be drawn into the arms of "The Sisters" as if these women were your own family. You'll want to hold them, warn them, betray their secrets. But this is a novel, one that is fresh and vibrant and complex. You cannot live the sisters' lives, but only share in their joy and heartbreak and ultimate triumph. A remarkably powerful book."
--Sandra Dallas, author of "Prayers for Sale"

""

"Nancy Jensen has the natural storyteller's ability to command attention, but with sophisticated psychological understanding and beautifully crafted writing. "The Sisters" is a "needed" novel that will become a very popular classic."
--Sena Jeter Naslund, author of "Ahab's Wife"

""

"A beautiful and touching novel about the events and choices that shape not only our lives but the lives of generations to come. Nancy Jensen takes us on an epic yet intimate journey through eighty years, ultimately revealing the flawed but lovely landscape that makes up a family. Her characters will stay with us long after the book's final pages."
--Brunonia Barry, author of "The Lace Reader"

You'll be drawn into the arms of "The Sisters" as if these women were your own family. You'll want to hold them, warn them, betray their secrets. But this is a novel, one that is fresh and vibrant and complex. You cannot live the sisters' lives, but only share in their joy and heartbreak and ultimate triumph. A remarkably powerful book. "Sandra Dallas, author of Prayers for Sale"

Nancy Jensen has the natural storyteller's ability to command attention, but with sophisticated psychological understanding and beautifully crafted writing. "The Sisters" is a "needed" novel that will become a very popular classic. "Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife"

A beautiful and touching novel about the events and choices that shape not only our lives but the lives of generations to come. Nancy Jensen takes us on an epic yet intimate journey through eighty years, ultimately revealing the flawed but lovely landscape that makes up a family. Her characters will stay with us long after the book's final pages. "Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader""

"You'll be drawn into the arms of The Sisters as if these women were your own family. You'll want to hold them, warn them, betray their secrets. But this is a novel, one that is fresh and vibrant and complex. You cannot live the sisters' lives, but only share in their joy and heartbreak and ultimate triumph. A remarkably powerful book." --Sandra Dallas, author of Prayers for Sale

"Nancy Jensen has the natural storyteller's ability to command attention, but with sophisticated psychological understanding and beautifully crafted writing. The Sisters is a needed novel that will become a very popular classic." --Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife

"A beautiful and touching novel about the events and choices that shape not only our lives but the lives of generations to come. Nancy Jensen takes us on an epic yet intimate journey through eighty years, ultimately revealing the flawed but lovely landscape that makes up a family. Her characters will stay with us long after the book's final pages." --Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader

About the Author:

NANCY JENSEN is an award-winning graduate of the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College whose short stories and essays have been published in such literary journals as Northwest Review, Other Voices, and The Louisville Review. She teaches English at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, KY. A national bestseller and a #1 Indie Next Pick in hardcover, The Sisters is her debut novel.

About this edition

• Publisher: Griffin
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1250095174
• ISBN 13: 9781250095176
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 324