The Condition: A Novel [Hardcover]

Jennifer Haigh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2008

In the summer of 1976, during their annual retreat on Cape Cod, the McKotch family came apart. Now, twenty years after daughter Gwen was diagnosed with Turner's syndrome—a rare genetic condition that keeps her trapped forever in the body of a child—eminent scientist Frank McKotch is divorced from his pedigreed wife, Paulette. Eldest son Billy, a successful cardiologist, lives a life built on secrets and compromise. His brother Scott awakened from a pot-addled adolescence to a soul-killing job and a regrettable marriage. And Gwen—bright and accomplished but hermetic and emotionally aloof—spurns all social interaction until, well into her thirties, she falls in love for the first time. With compassion and almost painful astuteness, The Condition explores the power of family mythologies—the self-delusions, denials, and inescapable truths that forever bind fathers and mothers and siblings.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A dysfunctional New England family struggles toward normalcy in this poignant novel from PEN/Hemingway-winner Haigh, who follows the children of resentful, controlling, Paulette and distracted, needy Frank. Even during a childhood in idyllic Cape Cod, there are hints of a rocky future. When that future arrives, Billy, the most successful of the children, keeps a secret about his sophisticated New York life from almost everyone. Scott, formerly the uncontrollable brat of the bunch, sees himself in his own troubled son. Meanwhile, Gwen suffers from a genetic condition that prevents her from developing into womanhood. The story starts slowly, and while the setup feels familiar (a fractured New England family), the children take unexpected turns that shake up the narrative, leading to the most surprising twist of all: despite the sobering events chronicled, there's a strong nod to the healing power of love. Haigh allows the reader to sympathize with each of the family members, and, in turn, to see their flaws and better understand them. (June)
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From School Library Journal

Starred Review. In her third novel (after Baker Towers), New York Times best-selling author Haigh weaves a realistic contemporary tale centering on a 12-year-old girl with Turner syndrome and her relationship with her fractured family. Twenty years into the future, a trip to Cape Cod and down memory lane brings the family its first wave of honest and open communication and maybe even a glimmer of hope. Actress/narrator Jennifer Van Dyck brilliantly captures the unique yet believable characters. Recommended for all public libraries and an obvious choice for book discussion groups. [Audio clip available through www.harperaudio.com; watch the book trailer at oogop.notlong.com; the Harper hc was "highly recommended," LJ 4/1/08.—Ed.]—Valerie Piechocki, Prince George's Cty. Memorial Lib., Largo, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1 edition (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060755784
• ISBN-13: 978-0060755782
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (127 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #643,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jennifer Haigh is the author of four novels: FAITH, THE CONDITION, BAKER TOWERS and MRS. KIMBLE. She has won the PEN/Hemingway Award for debut fiction and the PEN/L.L. Winship Award for outstanding book by a New England author. Her books have been published in fifteen languages. Haigh's short stories have appeared in Granta, One Story, The Saturday Evening Post and many other places. Her short story "Beast and Bird" is published in a special Atlantic Monthly Kindle edition.

Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Jennifer now lives in the Boston area.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The author gets TS right, July 13, 2008

By 

P. Lieber "Urban Guerilla Librarian" (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Condition: A Novel (Hardcover)

As a woman with turner syndrome and as a librarian, I found this book to be extremely well written and researched. The author gets the details about turner syndrome right without failing to make the character Gwen fully human. She is neither overly sympathetically portrayed, or used as a foil for the other characters. Some curious readers may find themselves running to Wikipedia to find out more details about the biology referenced in the story (phenotype, knockout mice?) but this doesn't distract from the main story and adds interest. This isn't a book about turner syndrome; it's about the Human Condition (as the jacket blurb says) that we all have. I would heartily recommend "The Condition" to anyone interested in an engaging, realistic read.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tonight, when I told my three sons good night, i thought of how..., September 29, 2008

By 

Charles "research physician & father of 3 sons" (Daphne, AL, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Condition: A Novel (Hardcover)

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I thought of how much my sons' childhood differs from mine. I thought back to a time and then came back to this time. That emotion, that knowing that comes from surveying the life of a person and of a family--that is what Ms. Haigh does with much skill in this tale of a family.

Little Gwen has a "condition" called Turner's Syndrome and as a physician I was impressed by the accuracy of the facts presented and the skill of their weaving, but you can have that from any medical book (the facts about Turner's). What came more skillfully and with more value while reading is Haigh's ability to flash forward and flash backward to show the condition of each person, of the family, and of the plight of walking around on this planet.

I knew I would see a mature and fresh view when I read these two paragraph's early in the book:



Anne lit another cigarett, "it's awful. I have this beautiful daughter, and my whole body is sagging by the minute, I feel like a shriveled old hag."

(Years later Paulete would marvel at the memory: how old they'd felt at thirty-five, how finished and depleted. "We were still young and beautiful," she would realize far too late.)


Somewhere, an ancient scripture teaches to count our days for we are like a puff of smoke here today and gone tomorrow. Though a saga that shouts our days are not infinite may feel heavy--such a saga gave me a reminder to close the book and get up and live my life. I fellow could gather much less from a novel.

Having worked as an ER physician and witnessed hundreds of deaths, I have an appreciation for the brevity of life that keeps me focused on the value of a day. I'm not sure where Ms. Haigh learned that lesson but she teaches it with skill in this story of pain and beauty, sickness and health, love and betrayal.

This excellent read will make you want to kiss your wife, hug your child, and walk out side and inhale as much air as your lungs will hold.

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Condition - Awesome Read!, July 20, 2008

By 

Jay R. Chase (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Condition: A Novel (Hardcover)

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I got this book through the VINE program. Read the book in two sittings. The characters are past believable... they are PAINFULLY believable!!! I imagine anyone with extended family dynamics will find someone aptly described in this novel. Ms. Haigh intricately describes each characters weaknesses and foibles, yet keeps them endearing - a hard task indeed, but essential to keep our interest up until the end.

I was content that all the story lines I cared about were tied up and I was even happy with how she ended them. I though the balance between plot and character development was excellent.

If possible, I would avoid reading reviews with spoilers on this one - this story flows well and it would be a shame to waste such good writing by already knowing what was coming...

I wholeheartedly recommend this book - just make sure you have some time free when you start reading it - you're not going to want to put it down!

All the best,

Jay