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★★★★★ 5
Classic Ann Patchett: A moving family drama
Format: Hardcover
Ann Patchett’s new book WHISTLER is literary fiction in its purest form. Rather than a plot-driven story that goes from A to B, she writes about everyday moments in a way that makes the reader relate. Her stories are an in-depth study of humanness, of our shared experiences and our limitations.
Much of this story is told in flashbacks, revealing a 1980 car accident involving MC Daphne and her stepfather Eddie; and here we learn the significance of a horse named Whistler. Daphne is an English lit teacher at a girls’ school and Eddie is a literary editor, so I loved their discussions. Surrounding these two are a host of unique and interesting characters: Daphne’s husband Jonathan, her birth parents, and younger sister Leda, a clinical psychologist. Although facts are related, the meat of the narrative is what the characters think, feel, fear, and regret. It’s a story about family relationships and the long-lasting effects of events and words for years afterward. It’s about the power of our memories.
There’s something about Ann Patchett’s witty and perfectly crafted prose that grips the reader. She has an extraordinary ability to tell a simple story, highlighting human experiences in such a way as to make it an introspective venture.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2026
