Upstate

Depth. Gobs of novels published every year explore family dynamics, and some of them provide depth, insight and understanding of our human predicament. James Wood introduces readers into an interesting family in his novel titled, Upstate. Protagonist Alan Querry leaves England to visit his daughter, Vanessa, in upstate New York. Alan’s younger daughter, Helen, a music executive, joins the visit. Wood presents deep insights into these characters and their relationships within a compact novel that wastes no words. While he doesn’t show off, he can make writing seem easy with his perfectly crafted sentences. He provides great contrasts between the UK and New York and explores depression and happiness with skill. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Upstate from amazon.com.