Just finished reading Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane (lol, remember Keane?). This is an almost-family saga which tells the story of two teenage friends whose deep admiration for each other leads to an explosive riff between their two families.
Peter and Kate spend their every waking moment together but as Peter’s mother spirals further into a manic depressive state, the reckoning will leave both families scared for a lifetime. Keane has crafted an emotional and earnest novel, covering issues such as family, mental health, and alcoholism.
The small-town American family drama is a saturated genre, but not one that I think readers will ever get enough of and this book certainly satisfies. It’s packed with character development and the plot moves at a brilliant pace. Keane is absolutely dedicated to her work, ensuring even side characters get their moment in the sun.
For someone who had just emerged from a months-long reading hiatus, it was the perfect tonic of readability and reflection. I stayed up an extra ten minutes just to read one more chapter and before I knew it, I was finishing the novel at midnight with bleary eyes. And, really, this was everything I could’ve asked for.
Ultimately, Keane lacks the finesse and wit of Tyler (whose influence can be felt in every crevice of the novel) but this is a thoughtful and charming book that is a pretty safe bet for any lover of fiction.
