
Most of Anne Tyler’s books are set in Baltimore, as this family saga is. She is good at describing family relationships, the ways in which different members relate to their parents, to each other and the outside world.
The Whitshank family have heard their mother reminiscing about her past and theirs for years. It is all familiar and relaxed. But times change, adjustments have to be made. Their story is domestic, unexciting, but not uneventful. This is a light read, but with plenty of substance.