Et cetera : What we're reading: Absolution

"Absolution" by Alice McDermott is the story of two women who become friends while their husbands are stationed in Vietnam during the war. The women get off to a rocky start, as they navigate new social terrain, and eventually bond over their efforts to make a difference during their time in Vietnam. I was pulled into the story from the start. It is told through present-day correspondence between one of the women and her friend's daughter, who was a child during their time abroad. Ann Patchett describes the novel as "(o)ne of the finest contemporary novels I've read. It is a moral masterpiece." With glowing praise from one of my favorite authors, this was a keeper in my book; I plan to read more by McDermott in the future.

This novel was published in 2023, and currently has 3.87/5 stars on Goodreads.

Happy Reading!

~Kelly