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Cdnbookworm
Apr 04, 2013Cdnbookworm rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This book alternates chapters between two friends, Annie and Nora. The two have been friends since they were young children in Iowa. Years ago, when a job opened up at the boarding school near Boston that Annie's partner Ted taught at, she called Nora to urge her to apply. Nora has blossomed there, gaining a loyal following of students and getting married to a local lawyer Alfie. Now Nora desperately wants children and is worried that nothing is happening after months of trying. Annie seems consumed by anger, anger at her boisterous children, anger at her husband's long separated wife for not signing the divorce papers, anger at the other woman at the children's centre she goes to, anger at being short of money all the time, anger at her own anger. When a new teacher arrives and seems to embody perfection, and get all the things the two women thought they wanted, they react in different ways, Nora by spending lots of time with her and Annie by pushing Nora away and becoming even more angry. When Nora's relations start to arrive with their own agendas, she isn't sure how to react. This is a book about envy, about self-knowledge, about love and family. A feel-good book about everyday life.