Thoughts on “The All of it” by Jeannette Haien?
Read this recently and was surprised just now to find virtually no discussion of it here. I thought it was very good. The prose perfectly went from thrift to flowery to suit the mood and was frequently breathtaking. I was captivated by Enda’s story and I enjoyed the chapter formatting where the one chapter wherein she tells her story is basically the entire novel. I found the commentary into human lives and relationships incisive if a little sentimental- Enda and the priest seemed to fall for each other rather quickly. Overall though I enjoyed the exploration of Father Declan’s mind, especially since it’s not immediately obvious that his regrets are the focus of the story. Reminded me a bit of Ishiguro with the focus on the inner worlds and wearies of the characters. Thoughts?