And Sometimes Why: A Novel [Paperback]

Rebecca Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2009

A "smart, sharply observant, even gently funny" (The Washington Post) debut novel of heartache and joy

Witty and surprising, Rebecca Johnson's first novel is about the unexpected links between one family and the world around them. Sophia and Darius have a well-worn marriage, two teenage daughters, and no foreseeable drama on the horizon. One morning, the two girls fight over the keys to the family car and set into motion an accident. The accident triggers a chain of events involving Harry, a still handsome B-list celebrity game-show host; Anton, a sexually repressed unemployed filmmaker; and Misty, who has reached month seven of what was supposed to be a six month campaign to make something of herself. Profoundly honest, this is a novel about the unpredictability of life, and the joy and heartache of how deeply one person's life can affect so many others.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Vogue contributing editor Johnson examines in her heartbreaking debut the ties that bind and break in the face of tragedy. Darius, a Shakespeare scholar and professor, and his wife, Sophia, head of membership at a local art museum, are mired in the banal ebb-and-flow of family life they share with their two teen daughters—bookish Miranda and imperious social butterfly Helen. A sisterly tussle over use of the family car ends with Miranda attending college orientation and finding herself attracted to fellow freshman-to-be Jason, and Helen, while riding on the back of her just-dumped boyfriend's motorcycle, getting into a horrific traffic accident. As Helen lies in the ICU suspended between life and death, the author gives voice to the people Helen has touched: Darius and Sophia find little solace in each other; Harry Harlow, the game show host who was involved in Helen's accident, witnesses his life falling apart; and Miranda awkwardly navigates the feelings Jason has stirred within her. While the wandering focus on disparate characters pulls the novel in unwieldy directions (as when Miranda drops out to follow her boyfriend to Alaska), Johnson's portrayal of a family's grieving is exquisitely crafted. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Johnson’s debut tells the story of one family’s tragedy and the ripple effect it causes. When 18-year-old Miranda McMartin and her 16-year-old sister, Helen, get into a fight over who can take the car, neither the girls nor their parents imagine the decision will result in Helen being involved in a terrible motorcycle accident involving Helen’s boyfriend. He dies, and Helen is in a coma. While the McMartins make daily pilgrimages to the hospital, decisions about Helen’s care start to divide the once tightly knit family. And the man whose car the motorcycle hit, game show host Harry Hawlow, finds his easy, comfortable life eroding around him when he’s put on forced leave from his show. As one parent clings to hope while the other tries to move on, Miranda follows her college boyfriend to the wilderness of Alaska. Unflinching and heartbreaking, Johnson’s first novel deftly depicts the different ways people react to and own tragedy, be it one that directly or tangentially affects them. The powerful story and characters will stay with the reader long after the final page is turned. --Kristine Huntley --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Plume; Reprint edition (June 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452290074
• ISBN-13: 978-0452290075
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,716,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A tragedy indeed., March 30, 2008

By 

Diane "dianemax" (Newfoundland, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: And Sometimes Why (Hardcover)

I recently read the article "Holding on to Luke" that the author, Rebecca Johnson, wrote for the New York Times. It had me in tears to read of that journey and the painful end of a life. I read the article because I had won her book (an unedited copy)in an online contest and wanted to know more about her.

While I loved her truthful article on the loss of her son, I did not love this book. For me, it was just too much all over the place. Characters popped up and disappeared shortly after or were not really fleshed out enough. The lady with the rats is one character I just didn't get. What was the point of that whole storyline? I assume it made it into the finished product but I am not sure. I didn't like the character of Harry at all and I found Sophia, the mother, to be too contrived. I did not feel her grief in this story at all and the way she just took off to another city...well I just didn't get it.

I was really hoping to like this book as the premise of it was indeed thought provoking but I just did not relate to the characters at all.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wonder what I would do, March 3, 2008

By 

Nellie Belle (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: And Sometimes Why: A Novel (Kindle Edition)

Have you ever wondered what you would do if your child or a close family member were in a coma? Would you "pull the plug"? Would you hover by the bed? Would you go on with your life? Rebecca Johnson provides a glimpse into the life of a modern, loving, educated family facing this problem. Although each person deals with it differently, I did not feel judgemental about any of their choices - nor does the author. Her attention to the telling detail and the surprise shifts make me think of Alice Munro.

In the midst of the sadness, I found myself laughing... as well as crying. It is an unusual book. The images Johnson creates linger.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really good read, March 2, 2008

By 

Jane (Pound Ridge, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: And Sometimes Why (Hardcover)

This is a good read and refreshingly new! It has all the elements of a well-written story - interesting characters, a page-turning plot - plus insights into the emotions of characters for today's audience: a reality show host, college students, a journey into Alaska, etc. Written by a talented journalist in the know who also has an imagination, this title goes to the top of my list!