…lyrical and inventive…never mind the soap-operatic quality of the plot. The beauty of this book is in the quiet, interior moments of its raft of characters…Good to a Fault is an exploration of kindness—its motives and limits—but it is also an appreciation of parenthood, loosely defined and always changing.
—The Washington Post
Canadian writer Endicott's second novel (and stateside debut) is an enjoyable and affirming meditation on altruism, goodness, and loneliness. The quiet, circumscribed world of divorcée Clara Purdy gets shaken up when she gets in a car accident with the Gage family, who are homeless and have been living in their car. In the aftermath, the mother, Lorraine Gage, is diagnosed with cancer, and Clara takes the family into her home while Lorraine undergoes treatment. The father absconds almost immediately, and Lorraine's mother, Mrs. Pell, proves to be deeply unpleasant. Clara, however, continues to visit Lorraine in the hospital, tend to the three children, and eventually takes in Lorraine's alcoholic brother as well. Her willingness to go to such lengths for strangers is a perpetual curiosity to those around her, and just as the Gage family solidifies around her and she begins a new relationship, Lorraine's health takes a surprising turn and Clara must decide again, what is the “right” thing to do. Endicott's rich writing struggles to find its groove at first, but the balance of prose, plot, and purpose soon evens out into a touching story. (Apr.)
Suddenly a surrogate mother of three, spinsterish Clara discovers love and meaning in a Anne Tyler-esque domestic drama. Although lacking sufficient bitterness to counteract its saintly sweetness, Endicott's second novel (Open Arms, 2001) is narrated with such lambent detail and compassion that it succeeds in casting a spell. A car crash kick-starts the story, mashing together middle-aged, divorced insurance worker Clara Purdy and the Clampett-esque Gage family: parents Clayton and Lorraine, their three children and grumpy grandmother. No one is hurt, but a hospital checkup reveals Lorraine has advanced cancer, and when Clayton disappears, Clara is left holding the babies and the grandmother. For her, however, this is a wonderful opportunity to render her previously empty life worthwhile, caring for the homeless family while supporting Lorraine. Help is also on hand from Lorraine's wandering brother, the larger community of neighbors, friends and relatives and the local priest Paul, whose shrewish wife has just left him. Clara, a remarkable fount of previously untapped generosity, begins to assume the children are hers. But a successful stem cell transfer restores Lorraine's health, Clayton returns and the children are ripped from her care. Depressed and angry, she breaks off her relationship with Paul, but in a story devoted to ideas of loss and restoration, a happier conclusion can be expected. A limpid, witty, humane talent to watch.
When Clara Purdy, a lonely divorcée in her forties, accidentally crashes into
the Gage family's car, she has no idea that she's just said goodbye to life as
she knows it. The Gages, who were living in their car, are now homeless,
and when Lorraine, the family matriarch, is admitted to the hospital, she's
diagnosed with cancer. Now Clara is faced with a dilemma:What exactly
does she owe this chaotic family?
In a scene out of The Blind Side, Clara ends up taking the Gage children
and their unpleasant grandmother into her own tidy home and caring
for them all. In the process, Clara is finally able to let go of her own past,
including the memory of her parents, now deceased. She bonds with the
children, especially the baby, and discovers within a reservoir of generosity
and sacrificial love.
But when Lorraine makes a miraculous recovery and reclaims the children,
Clara is bereft and forced to reconstruct her life yet again. Will this
likable, unpretentious heroine rediscover happiness? Will she allow herself
a relationship with a good man?
In Good to a Fault, a woman's quest for love and meaning leads to more
universal questions about existence. No easy answers are offered — but
plenty of humor, love, and compassion enliven this tale of an ordinary
woman in extraordinary circumstances.
"Witty and wise."—Colm Tóibín, author of Brooklyn
Probing the moral and emotional minefield of heroic Samaritan acts, Endicott’s enchanting and poignant novel of compassion run amok handles provocative issues with a deft and winsome touch.” — Carol Haggas, Booklist (starred review)
“A brilliantly balanced and engrossing work about illness, charity, and the very tenuous nature of goodness. Fans of contemporary fiction exploring the dangers of complacency and how domestic upheaval can lead to personal growth will enjoy; think Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Berg, and Anita Shreve. Highly recommended for all fiction collections.” — Jenn B. Stidham, Library Journal
“An Anne Tyler-esque domestic drama. . . . Narrated with such lambent detail and compassion that it succeeds in casting a spell. . . . A limpid, witty, humane talent to watch.” — Kirkus Reviews
“An enjoyable and affirming meditation on altruism, goodness, and loneliness…. A touching story.” — Publishers Weekly
“There’s heartbreak, there’s joy, there are parts where you cry—and it’s very high quality writing. Well done!” — Margaret Atwood, Giller Prize Jury remarks
“Good to a Fault is one of those novels you want to tell people about. It’s unpretentious and affecting, with characters to remember and themes that linger and resound.” — Meg Wolitzer, New York Times bestselling author of The Ten-Year Nap
Good to a Fault is one of those novels you want to tell people about. It’s unpretentious and affecting, with characters to remember and themes that linger and resound.
Probing the moral and emotional minefield of heroic Samaritan acts, Endicott’s enchanting and poignant novel of compassion run amok handles provocative issues with a deft and winsome touch.
A brilliantly balanced and engrossing work about illness, charity, and the very tenuous nature of goodness. Fans of contemporary fiction exploring the dangers of complacency and how domestic upheaval can lead to personal growth will enjoy; think Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Berg, and Anita Shreve. Highly recommended for all fiction collections.
There’s heartbreak, there’s joy, there are parts where you cry—and it’s very high quality writing. Well done!
