Rebecca Kauffman's literary pursuits are informed by her musical background, holding a B.A. in Violin Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from NYU. Her writing often delves into the complexities of human connection and the quiet moments that shape our lives. While her narratives span various settings, a recurring theme involves the exploration of home and the search for belonging. Kauffman excels at crafting characters with rich inner lives, capturing the essence of place through nuanced observation and evocative prose.
The narrative captures the intricacies of a richly developed family, exploring deep and complex relationships that resonate universally. Through vivid prose, the author brings warmth and strength to the characters, creating an immersive experience that transcends the book's brevity. Each page reveals layers of emotion and connection, inviting readers to reflect on the broader human experience within this intimate setting.
'You don't have to go back. You will stay here at home, with me. This is where you belong.'One afternoon, in a little farmhouse in rural Virginia, the ailing Marie Shaw dies in ambiguous circumstances and nothing is ever the same again for the seven young children she left behind. Spanning from the Great Depression to the burgeoning of US counterculture in 1959, Chorus sensitively traces the divergent paths taken by the grieving Shaw siblings as they grow together and apart over the decades. Henry, Jack, Maeve, Lane, Sam, Wendy and Bette get married and divorced, go to war and give birth to children of their own, break down and pick themselves up again.Chorus is a hopeful story of family, of loss and recovery, of complicated relationships forged between brothers and sisters as they move through life together, and of the unlikely forces that first drive them away and then ultimately back home.
A taut, page-turning novel of secrets and strife. When two families - one rich, one not - holiday together off the coast of South Carolina, little do they know that someone won't be returning home.
The Gunners used to be inseparable. A gang of latchkey kids, they took their name from the doorbell of the abandoned house they played in as children - and drank in as teenagers. Together they navigated the difficult journey from childhood to adolescence and learnt their first vital lessons about becoming adults; Mikey, Sam, Lynn, Alice, Jimmy and Sally are more like a family than just friends. One day, Sally suddenly stopped speaking to them and wouldn't explain why. Years later, Sally's suicide forces the Gunners back together for her funeral. All of them have secrets they are reluctant to share, secrets which mean they must reassess their happy memories and finally be honest about the reasons Sally left.This is a generous and poignant novel about the difficulty - and the joy - of being a true friend.
The debut novel features emotional complexity and a rich narrative scope, drawing comparisons to notable works like A Visit from the Goon Squad. It intertwines deep human experiences with a mystical quality reminiscent of Swamplandia, creating a compelling and resonant story. The book promises to engage readers with its profound themes and character depth, offering a unique exploration of life's intricacies.