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Dubray Review

Patriarch Winn van Meter is joining his family at their New England retreat to celebrate the forthcoming nuptials of his eldest daughter Daphne, who is heavily pregnant. Daphne’s bridesmaids are her oldest school friends and her heart-broken sister Livia, each of whom have their own worries and dramas. Winn is yearning for the most alluring and attractive of Daphne’s bridesmaids. The wedding has been organised with military precision by Winn’s wife Biddy but these plans begin to unravel as each member of the wedding party misbehaves over the weekend. This is a brilliant debut novel from an exciting new literary voice. It perfectly captures New England pretensions while exposing the dark side of social niceties and the cast of odd but endearing characters will keep you entertained throughout.

- Emma Shannon, Stillorgan

Description

A New York Times bestseller and winner of the 2012 Dylan Thomas Prize and 2012 L.A. Times First Novel Prize The Van Meters have gathered at their family retreat on the New England island of Waskeke to celebrate the marriage of daughter Daphne to an impeccably appropriate young man. The weekend is full of lobster and champagne, salt air and practiced bonhomie, but long-buried discontent and simmering lust seep through the cracks in the revelry. Winn Van Meter, father-of-the-bride, has spent his life following the rules of the east coast upper crust, but now, just shy of his sixtieth birthday, he must finally confront his failings, his desires, and his own humanity.

Reviews

'Joyously good' DAILY MAIL 'A ferociously clever comedy of manners' GUARDIAN 'Distinctive and dazzling ... The world has found a remarkable, humane new voice to explain us to ourselves' Allison Pearson 'A wise, sophisticated and funny novel about family, fidelity, class and crisis' MARIE CLAIRE Books of 2012 - TELEGRAPH Books of 2012 - SUNDAY EXPRESS