The Kindness - Hardcover

Samson, Polly

3.25

733 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1632860678 ISBN 13: 9781632860675

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, 2015

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

He followed her eyes skyward to a bird that was falling, turning and turning, like a heart that had leapt free. It fell, and as it did it became a falcon. He was transfixed.

Julian's fall begins the moment he sets eyes on Julia.

Julia is married and eight years his senior; he is a gifted English student, a life of academia ahead. Ignoring warnings from family and friends, they each give up all they have to be together. Their new life in London offers immense happiness, especially after their longed-for daughter Mira is born.

When Julian hears that Firdaws, his adored boyhood home, is for sale, he sets out to recreate a lost paradise for his new family. Once again, love blinds him. It is only when Mira becomes terrifyingly ill that it is impossible for Julia to conceal from him the explosive secret that she has been keeping at the heart of their lives.

Lyrical, haunting and exquisitely rendered, Polly Samson's second novel explores a deception that comes wrapped as a gift, a betrayal that is clothed in kindness, and asks if we can ever truly trust another. The result is an unforgettable story of love, grief, betrayal, and reconciliation, masterfully plotted and beautifully told.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author:

Polly Samson was born in London in 1962. She is the author of two highly acclaimed story collections and a novel, Out of the Picture, which was shortlisted for the Author Club's First Novel Award. Her most recent collection of linked stories, Perfect Lives, was a Sunday Times Fiction Choice of the Year. Samson lives in Sussex.

@PollySamson

Review:

“Sumptuous.” ―The New York Times Book Review

“Samson, creates a moving portrait of a family torn by the stress of a sick child--and a sensuous, lyrical account of a failed marriage.” ―Publishers Weekly

“With its sensuous prose and blend of romance, disappointment, amazing sex, and exquisite domestic interiors, the novel hovers somewhere between conventional commercial fiction and something rather more ambitious.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Beautifully written, filled with warmth and humor, The Kindness is a powerful novel exploring the complexities of love and the nature of human relationships.” ―Booklist

“A haunting story of pleasure, disappointment, and family, one that immerses you into their journey.” ―BlogCritics.org

“This is elegant, witty writing, informed throughout by generosity and wise perceptiveness. Dealing with many kinds of love, and with misunderstanding, betrayal, grief and forgiveness, the novel dares to posit, ultimately, the possibility of redemption. It is a book to cherish, to recommend, to return to--and not to lend anyone.” ―Financial Times

“In addition to displaying assured prose, Samson's book is precisely plotted.” ―The Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Haunting . . . A compellingly plotted account of the corrosive power a secret has to destroy the happiest of families." - Daily Mail on BEST BOOKS ABOUT FAMILY SECRETS

"Addictive, cleverly structured and intriguing relationship story of lies and flawed communication." - Summer Book Choice, Sunday Times

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.