Evening

Evening, a novel written by Nessa Rapoport is an interesting look at family dynamics when a young person dies and the family comes together to sit shiva.  This is also a look at the complexities of sisterly rivalry.

Eve has run away from Toronto to New York City to escape the scrutiny of her parents, because she has chosen a less conventional lifestyle than her sister Tam.  Eve teaches adult education classes, living in Manhattan in a relationship that she does not think she wants to lead to marriage.  Her sister Tam has followed the more traditional route of marriage and children along with her successful television career.  At first it seems their parents are partial to Tam's choices and Eve is resentful.  

We meet Eve as she has returned home for the funeral.  Tam has passed after a battle with breast cancer. But as we meet all the characters at Tam's funeral, we begin to see the cracks in the facade.  Eve and Tam ended their relationship with a argument.  Tam wanted Eve to settle down and maybe move closer to home in Canada.  Tam felt Eve should follow the more traditional lifestyle and get married to the man she is living with and have children.  Eve got angry and words were exchanged that now can never be taken back.

Eve feels stifled by the family dynamics and is looking to escape with an old high school boyfriend who has come for a shiva call.   The book travels back and forth between the current time, and Eve's memories of childhood, growing up spending family vacations at their grandmother's lake front property.  Then in High School having a relationship with the handsome boy, Laurie.  Each chapter represents one of the seven days of shiva, with Eve spending her days sitting with her family and going out at night reconnecting and reliving her teen years with Laurie.  The interactions between the characters re-examine the history of all these family interactions.  Looking at where and how these relationships started and developed to the present situation.

There are always family secrets and things you may have misunderstood about even the people closest to you.  A well developed plot with twists and turns that bring you along to a satisfying ending.