JOSIE AND VIC

A brother and sister cope with tragedy in Thomas’ novel.

As the story opens in 2001, middle-aged Vic Serafini has just overdosed on sedatives and antidepressants after losing his family in a tragic accident. He survives the overdose, but is deeply depressed; his sister, Josie, moves in with him to help him recover. It turns out that Vic hasn’t told her that he’s been in touch with their estranged father. The story bounces back and forth between 2001 and various points in Vic’s and Josie’s pasts. In 1971, 18-year-old Vic enlists to fight in Vietnam, much to the chagrin of his family; in 1981, Josie and Vic’s mother is dying of cancer and Josie is pregnant by a man who has left the country and likely won’t be back. Later, in 1997, Josie’s teenage daughter, Ellie, is curious about her biological father even though Josie’s husband, Ben, has been a good adoptive parent to her; shortly after Ellie writes her father a letter, she experiences a personal tragedy. In 2001, Vic goes back to work, and Josie tries to reconnect with Ellie, who’s fallen out of touch with her. The novel continues from this point, focused on Vic’s recovery and Josie’s strained relationships with her father and daughter. There’s also a side story about Vic’s late wife’s brother and a tragedy that befalls him. Readers may find that the novel’s first half is almost unbearably sad, and although it doesn’t cross the line into melodrama, the characters are put through the wringer. The second half is largely about healing and repairing damaged relationships, although it, too, isn’t without tragedy; the characters witness 9/11 on TV, which adds additional pathos, as does the illness of Josie’s horse. The story is told through narrative, letters, and song lyrics—Ellie is a musician—which, when combined with the nonlinear storytelling, can make the novel as a whole feel a little disjointed. The ending is hopeful, though, showing characters looking forward to the next stages of their lives.

A sad family saga with an uplifting ending.