Review of AFTER ANNIE by Anna Quindlen (New Release)

 4 Stars

This quiet novel is a powerful study of grief.

The book covers the first year following the sudden death of Annie Brown in her mid-thirties.  Those who experience her loss most strongly are her husband Bill, her four children, a best friend, and the people she helped care for in her job as a nursing home aide.  The focus is on Annie’s husband, her eldest child Ali, and her best friend Annemarie. 

There is no one way or right way to grieve and that is clearly shown.  Bill becomes unmoored and tries to fill an emotional void by reconnecting with a former girlfriend.  Ali takes on her mother’s role by caring for her three younger brothers and her father.  Annemarie, a recovering drug addict, returns to destructive behaviours.  The three sons show their distress in different ways. 

This is very much a novel of character.  All characters, even the more minor ones, feel authentic.  Except perhaps for Bill’s mother, they are basically good people who have flaws.  Bill, for instance, loves his children but is clueless in many ways; after Annie’s death he describes himself as being “without a map or a guidebook” for his life.  He makes the mistake of not talking about Annie with his children and has to learn that “’sadness shouldn’t lead to silence.’” 

Though Annie speaks only one sentence in the entire book, her character is also developed because we get to know her through others.  We learn about her strengths and what was important to her.  She loved her family, friend, and clients.  She had a great sense of humour, appreciated the simple things in life, and took joy in her job and roles as wife and mother.  Most of what we learn is positive but given the circumstances, that makes sense; in fact, Ali wonders “whether anyone ever said true things about people after they were dead, or whether dead people were always perfect, or at least very, very good.”   For instance, Ali realizes “No one said, I wouldn’t want to get on Annie’s bad side, although that was true.”  The more we get to know about Annie, the more we feel the characters’ loss. 

There are many positive messages.  Annie is an ordinary person who has an extraordinary impact so the reader is reminded that anyone can make a lasting impression.  All those she loved continue to hear Annie’s voice in their heads so no one loved is ever truly gone.  When Bill starts mentioning Annie in his conversations with his children, they see that he is not trying to forget her:  memories provide comfort as one grieves.  There is also an underlying idea that life is a privilege not given to everyone, so it’s important to embrace life.

Because of its subject matter, this book is not an easy read, but in the end it offers hope by emphasizing the power of love and human connection.  We all encounter grief at some time in our lives, and this poignant novel provides some insight into that experience. 

Note:  I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.