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Book Review of Nora Webster: A Novel

Nora Webster: A Novel
Nora Webster: A Novel
Author: Colm Toibin
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
reviewed on + 1448 more book reviews


This is a sensitive and introspective novel written about a woman and her family who are grieving the loss of husband and father. He was undoubtably her soul mate and she is lost without him.

It's the 1960's when Ireland is passing through the throes of religious unrest, chaos and violence. The author does an admirable job of weaving these troubled times into the lives of the grieving family.

The daughters are older and more able to cope with their father's death than their younger brothers. This reader empathized with Nora as she becomes closer and closer to her sons and works to help them through their grief even as she tries to understand who she is to become without her husband.

Nora discovers music and finds hersself taking lessons to develop her voice. She will never be a professional singer the lessons, the singing and listening to great music are soothing to her soul. I will not soon forget this story as it gave me a sense of how one can cope with the death of a beloved.