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Ask Again, Yes
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2019)Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope, two rookie cops in the NYPD, live next door to each other outside the city. What happens behind closed doors in both houses—the loneliness of Francis's wife, Lena, and the instability of Brian's wife, Anne—sets the stage for explosive events to come.
Ask Again, Yes is a moving novel about two families, the bond between their children, a tragedy that reverberates over four decades, the daily intimacies of marriage, and the power of forgiveness.
Ask Again, Yes is a moving novel about two families, the bond between their children, a tragedy that reverberates over four decades, the daily intimacies of marriage, and the power of forgiveness.
388 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2019
About the author
Mary Beth Keane
5 books3,439 followersMary Beth Keane attended Barnard College and the University of Virginia, where she received an MFA. She was awarded a John S. Guggenheim fellowship for fiction writing, and has received citations from the National Book Foundation, PEN America, and the Hemingway Society. She is the author of The Walking People, Fever, and Ask Again, Yes, which was a New York Times Best Seller and was translated into twenty-two languages. Her new novel, The Half Moon, is forthcoming May 2, 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 17,130 reviews
May 28, 2019
“The thing is, Peter, grown-ups don’t know what they’re doing any better than kids do. That’s the truth.”
Oh, I love a good family drama.
Ask Again, Yes is a book about the members of two families-- the Gleesons and the Stanhopes. They are first brought together through the New York City police academy when young rookies Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope work together. Later, they become neighbours and start families next to one another. Except any chance of cordiality between them is destroyed on one fateful night.
This is one of those intimate character portraits that explores the interactions between the characters in depth and with an unusual level of insight into human nature. There are some perfectly-crafted scenes where as the reader I felt like, yes, that is exactly how someone would behave in that situation. While the book is busy focusing on the characters, many issues emerge over the course of the novel, integrated so seamlessly that it wasn't until I looked back at the end that I fully appreciated what Keane had done.
I don't want to make the book seem sentimental, because it is not at all. But it is very empathetic, and the author writes each character with love and sensitivity. Anne's mental illness causes ruptures in her marriage with Brian, amongst other things, while the Gleesons seem determined to honor commitment no matter what troubles befall them.
I love the understanding that consequences can be far-reaching, both over time and to other people. The book follows the Gleeson daughter, Kate, and the Stanhope son, Peter, over many years, and yet they can never fully escape their beginnings.
You probably know by now if this is a YOU book. It's one of those for readers who like to explore the nuances of human behaviour and relationships. An obvious choice if you loved Ng's Little Fires Everywhere.
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August 11, 2022
There is a soul-baring emotional honesty to Ask Again, Yes that reminds of me of why I like this genre of novels. With its realistically rendered relationships and tensions, its tender observations about family and the ties that bind mothers and sons even through years of separation, and its unblinking interrogation of the ways love ferments in the airless conditions of unaddressed trauma, Ask Again, Yes invites its readers into the low-lit corners of every household at those fragile moments when human nature no longer seems so out of reach, but rather displayed in all its heartbreaking glory. The resulting story is one that is strange in its specificity, but undeniably universal in its familiarity.
At its heart a profoundly humanizing story about the never-ending ache of love and loss, Ask Again, Yes is not to be missed.
At its heart a profoundly humanizing story about the never-ending ache of love and loss, Ask Again, Yes is not to be missed.
June 12, 2019
5 Stars.
Edited after much thought to revise rating from 4.25 Stars to 5 Stars. The ramifications of this novel and its ending have stayed with me!
“Ask Again, Yes” is Literary Fiction at its best!
This novel is an exploration of life, love, family, mistakes and the tragedies of everyday life. The Stanhopes and the Gleasons are at odds. Will they ever heal the rift that tore their families apart?
Alcoholism, friendship, forgiveness, mental illness, love and tragedy. These are the themes of “Ask Again, Yes.”
This is one heck of an engrossing novel. I truly felt for the characters of Peter and Kate. The trials and tribulations of two families - your heart will literally be pulled in two, feeling bad for each, at certain points in time, almost feeling as if you are betraying the other. Admittedly, parts of this novel totally shocked me. I felt as though I should have understood certain things from the get go and didn’t and when things came to light I was like “oh!” Then there is the ending… yes, tears sprung to my eyes, (some of you are like, yeah “big surprise, you old sap!”). Seriously though, I simply couldn’t help myself!
If you love literary fiction, fiction or are just looking for a great read, grab this and read it. You will not be disappointed.
This was a buddy read with Kaceey. I loved reading this one with you Kaceey and was so glad that you ended up liking this one too!
Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner and Mary Beth Keane for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 4.7.19.
Will be published on Amazon and Twitter on 5.28.19.
Edited after much thought to revise rating from 4.25 Stars to 5 Stars. The ramifications of this novel and its ending have stayed with me!
“Ask Again, Yes” is Literary Fiction at its best!
This novel is an exploration of life, love, family, mistakes and the tragedies of everyday life. The Stanhopes and the Gleasons are at odds. Will they ever heal the rift that tore their families apart?
Alcoholism, friendship, forgiveness, mental illness, love and tragedy. These are the themes of “Ask Again, Yes.”
This is one heck of an engrossing novel. I truly felt for the characters of Peter and Kate. The trials and tribulations of two families - your heart will literally be pulled in two, feeling bad for each, at certain points in time, almost feeling as if you are betraying the other. Admittedly, parts of this novel totally shocked me. I felt as though I should have understood certain things from the get go and didn’t and when things came to light I was like “oh!” Then there is the ending… yes, tears sprung to my eyes, (some of you are like, yeah “big surprise, you old sap!”). Seriously though, I simply couldn’t help myself!
If you love literary fiction, fiction or are just looking for a great read, grab this and read it. You will not be disappointed.
This was a buddy read with Kaceey. I loved reading this one with you Kaceey and was so glad that you ended up liking this one too!
Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner and Mary Beth Keane for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 4.7.19.
Will be published on Amazon and Twitter on 5.28.19.
April 2, 2023
* I've added a link to an article called A conversation with Mary Beth Keane, best-selling author of "Ask Again, Yes" to the bottom of this review.*
I didn't want to put this book down from the moment I started it...too bad I needed sleep and had other things I needed to do. Still I read it within a few short days and it hurt my heart but also, filled me with hope. Mary Beth Keane did a great job of putting her words down on paper.
Kate and Peter, born to neighbors, 6 months apart, had a connection from the beginning of their time. They were best friends but more than best friends, they knew each other and loved each other before they were even aware of that fact. Kate had a blessed life and a loving family but Peter had a harsh, troubled life, both a troubled dad and a troubled mom. Peter carried the weight of the world on his young shoulders, weight that a child should not have to carry.
When Kate is 13, Peter 14, something happens that shatters their lives and the lives of their families. Peter and his family have to leave immediately and Kate is left with a hole in her heart, Peter too is left with a hole, holes that only the other can fill. Eventually Kate and Peter make contact again and all of the past is still with them and their families, past that is part of their present too. I won't say more about the book except that it was so heart-wrenching, so real, but also so full of family and love, that I finished the book wanting to continue being a part of Kate and Peter's lives.
Here's a link to an article about this book: https://www.amazonbookreview.com/post...
Pub May 28th 2019
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this ARC.
I didn't want to put this book down from the moment I started it...too bad I needed sleep and had other things I needed to do. Still I read it within a few short days and it hurt my heart but also, filled me with hope. Mary Beth Keane did a great job of putting her words down on paper.
Kate and Peter, born to neighbors, 6 months apart, had a connection from the beginning of their time. They were best friends but more than best friends, they knew each other and loved each other before they were even aware of that fact. Kate had a blessed life and a loving family but Peter had a harsh, troubled life, both a troubled dad and a troubled mom. Peter carried the weight of the world on his young shoulders, weight that a child should not have to carry.
When Kate is 13, Peter 14, something happens that shatters their lives and the lives of their families. Peter and his family have to leave immediately and Kate is left with a hole in her heart, Peter too is left with a hole, holes that only the other can fill. Eventually Kate and Peter make contact again and all of the past is still with them and their families, past that is part of their present too. I won't say more about the book except that it was so heart-wrenching, so real, but also so full of family and love, that I finished the book wanting to continue being a part of Kate and Peter's lives.
Here's a link to an article about this book: https://www.amazonbookreview.com/post...
Pub May 28th 2019
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this ARC.
December 13, 2020
Four angsty, dysfunctional, mind blowing, pushes you take a forty years journey of vivid characters and you got speechless on some parts of it starts!!!
Questions:
1) Is this book including real big problems that the characters are dealing with as like alcoholism, mental illness, parental abandonment, cheating, deadly diseases, murder attempt?
YESSS!
2) Is it also about dysfunctional two families and your daily dramas?
YESSS!
3) Are there also a big love story between two families’ children?
YESSS
4) Are these two children, Kate and Peter, forcedly separated after a family tragedy ( One of them’s mother shot the other’s father, oh yesss, that’s what I called big tragedy)when they were 13, but they occasionally find each other ?
YESSS but hmmm okay YESSS
5) are we having a great 40 years journey of those two family members?
YESSS!
6) Did the book remind you of True Detective episodes?
Hmmm partly YESSS!
7) Does it have a chance for nominations of Best Goodreads Fiction 2019?
Oh YESSS!
8) So do you recommend this book to the others?
DON’T ASK ME AGAIN OF COURSE YESSS!!!
Questions:
1) Is this book including real big problems that the characters are dealing with as like alcoholism, mental illness, parental abandonment, cheating, deadly diseases, murder attempt?
YESSS!
2) Is it also about dysfunctional two families and your daily dramas?
YESSS!
3) Are there also a big love story between two families’ children?
YESSS
4) Are these two children, Kate and Peter, forcedly separated after a family tragedy ( One of them’s mother shot the other’s father, oh yesss, that’s what I called big tragedy)when they were 13, but they occasionally find each other ?
YESSS but hmmm okay YESSS
5) are we having a great 40 years journey of those two family members?
YESSS!
6) Did the book remind you of True Detective episodes?
Hmmm partly YESSS!
7) Does it have a chance for nominations of Best Goodreads Fiction 2019?
Oh YESSS!
8) So do you recommend this book to the others?
DON’T ASK ME AGAIN OF COURSE YESSS!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2020
suburban drama!! family dynamics!!
truly, what's not to love? this was addicting and super enjoyable. although this story didn't break my brain or anything, it was fun, and i'd totally recommend for fans of little fires everywhere, the mothers, etc.
truly, what's not to love? this was addicting and super enjoyable. although this story didn't break my brain or anything, it was fun, and i'd totally recommend for fans of little fires everywhere, the mothers, etc.
October 11, 2022
"The thing is, Peter, grown-ups don't know what they're doing any better than kids do. That's the truth."
You've seen this book around before. You know the one I'm talking about; it's got an aesthetically pleasing blue-green cover, boasts of domestic drama and in-depth character study of the darker side of families, while promising the reader that they will experience a grand range of emotion by the time the final page is turned. These books are one thing, pure and simple: book club bait. While I always fall for the cover, the inside of such books rarely leaves a longterm impression on me, because it is truly difficult for a book that follows the same procedure and format as every other in its genre to attain a memorable status in my internal hard drive. Yes, this book did follow that formula, remaining fairly predictable, but for some reason these characters were quite enticing, and the author did leave an impression that kept me thinking about these characters well after finishing their story.
I can't help but loosely compare this book to the likes of Liane Moriarty, because I had a similar reading experience while working through Ask Again, Yes as I did when I picked up Big Little Lies. Years ago, I joined an online bookclub with my sister and the first month we participated, we were discussing BLL. It was long, and I was intimidated, and the beginning portions were incredibly slow, so much so that I almost tossed the book and told Irina she was on her own. ;) I'm really glad she encouraged me to stick with it, because once I was fully invested in the characters, I began to breeze through and consider it one of the first books to help me embrace the lighter side of the mystery genre. AAY has a very similar setup-slow burning intro while we get acquainted with the characters, and then we steadily speed up once a few "things" begin to happen.
There are many, many emotional aspects to this story, and for the most part it's very sad and mildly heavy, but the ending was done so well that it kept my final verdict as hopeful, while teaching me where to be grateful. The characters of both families suffer tremendously in various ways over the years, and some of the reasons are based on their choices, but most of the outcomes are results of unexpected circumstances, which gave a tense, straining sensation as the story unfolds. If you enjoy family sagas that feature coming-of-age in less than ideal circumstances, you may want to give this one a try for yourself. Some of the buzz-worthy topics included are mental health, addiction, cancer, and how tragedy affects all sorts of relationships, such as married couples and parents/children. Those are some tough issues to cover, but this book does so in very mild ways, with little to no graphic content, and mainly just in being referred to prior to an event or as a memory. The possible discussions that will spur from reading this book are endless, and I cannot wait to see how the general public reacts to Ask Again, Yes once it's released.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
You've seen this book around before. You know the one I'm talking about; it's got an aesthetically pleasing blue-green cover, boasts of domestic drama and in-depth character study of the darker side of families, while promising the reader that they will experience a grand range of emotion by the time the final page is turned. These books are one thing, pure and simple: book club bait. While I always fall for the cover, the inside of such books rarely leaves a longterm impression on me, because it is truly difficult for a book that follows the same procedure and format as every other in its genre to attain a memorable status in my internal hard drive. Yes, this book did follow that formula, remaining fairly predictable, but for some reason these characters were quite enticing, and the author did leave an impression that kept me thinking about these characters well after finishing their story.
I can't help but loosely compare this book to the likes of Liane Moriarty, because I had a similar reading experience while working through Ask Again, Yes as I did when I picked up Big Little Lies. Years ago, I joined an online bookclub with my sister and the first month we participated, we were discussing BLL. It was long, and I was intimidated, and the beginning portions were incredibly slow, so much so that I almost tossed the book and told Irina she was on her own. ;) I'm really glad she encouraged me to stick with it, because once I was fully invested in the characters, I began to breeze through and consider it one of the first books to help me embrace the lighter side of the mystery genre. AAY has a very similar setup-slow burning intro while we get acquainted with the characters, and then we steadily speed up once a few "things" begin to happen.
There are many, many emotional aspects to this story, and for the most part it's very sad and mildly heavy, but the ending was done so well that it kept my final verdict as hopeful, while teaching me where to be grateful. The characters of both families suffer tremendously in various ways over the years, and some of the reasons are based on their choices, but most of the outcomes are results of unexpected circumstances, which gave a tense, straining sensation as the story unfolds. If you enjoy family sagas that feature coming-of-age in less than ideal circumstances, you may want to give this one a try for yourself. Some of the buzz-worthy topics included are mental health, addiction, cancer, and how tragedy affects all sorts of relationships, such as married couples and parents/children. Those are some tough issues to cover, but this book does so in very mild ways, with little to no graphic content, and mainly just in being referred to prior to an event or as a memory. The possible discussions that will spur from reading this book are endless, and I cannot wait to see how the general public reacts to Ask Again, Yes once it's released.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
May 7, 2019
4.5 stars
I have always enjoyed reading family stories that take me on their journey across time. This is a story of two families over several decades and how their lives intersect in a tragic way as well as one that is filled of love and ultimately forgiveness. Two NYC police officers, living next door to each other in the suburbs, connected mainly by the friendship of their two young children. Abruptly the things going on in one of the families impact the other in a way that changes everyone’s life and the two young friends are separated. In less capable hands, this book could have been melodramatic, but it wasn’t. The author addressed some tough, realistic issues - mental illness, alcoholism, parental abandonment and the effects on these characters, who I was vested in throughout, felt for throughout. This could never be a happily ever after story because the things that happened to these characters are burdens that while can be lightened by that love, loyalty and forgiveness, they can never fully be erased. An ending that was satisfying and provided realistic closure. Highly recommended.
This was a monthly buddy read with Diane and Esil.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Scribner through Edelweiss and NetGalley.
I have always enjoyed reading family stories that take me on their journey across time. This is a story of two families over several decades and how their lives intersect in a tragic way as well as one that is filled of love and ultimately forgiveness. Two NYC police officers, living next door to each other in the suburbs, connected mainly by the friendship of their two young children. Abruptly the things going on in one of the families impact the other in a way that changes everyone’s life and the two young friends are separated. In less capable hands, this book could have been melodramatic, but it wasn’t. The author addressed some tough, realistic issues - mental illness, alcoholism, parental abandonment and the effects on these characters, who I was vested in throughout, felt for throughout. This could never be a happily ever after story because the things that happened to these characters are burdens that while can be lightened by that love, loyalty and forgiveness, they can never fully be erased. An ending that was satisfying and provided realistic closure. Highly recommended.
This was a monthly buddy read with Diane and Esil.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Scribner through Edelweiss and NetGalley.
June 4, 2019
Unresolved childhood experiences of loss and trauma are repeated in the next generation...
is a theme that’s explored brilliantly.
With many disturbing themes: abuse, abandonment, mental illness, alcoholism, infidelity, with a tragic defining moment.....the author takes readers on a 40 year journey - (three family generations) - with characters that are genuine and broken.
The emotional reactions of family members is projected on to others - shifting responsibility.
We also see how disease follows one generation to another generation.
Painful life crushing themes..has us look at situations that have not been resolved.
We look at wounded characters reacting and damaging others from their woundedness.
Awareness and insights about trying to cope with the past - understanding rather than blame - opens the doors to love and forgiveness.
No light stroll through this novel...but the courage to reclaim one’s best self delves into the theme of redemption...
There’s plenty of space for the reader to interpret.
Engrossing - compelling - a worthy read!!
is a theme that’s explored brilliantly.
With many disturbing themes: abuse, abandonment, mental illness, alcoholism, infidelity, with a tragic defining moment.....the author takes readers on a 40 year journey - (three family generations) - with characters that are genuine and broken.
The emotional reactions of family members is projected on to others - shifting responsibility.
We also see how disease follows one generation to another generation.
Painful life crushing themes..has us look at situations that have not been resolved.
We look at wounded characters reacting and damaging others from their woundedness.
Awareness and insights about trying to cope with the past - understanding rather than blame - opens the doors to love and forgiveness.
No light stroll through this novel...but the courage to reclaim one’s best self delves into the theme of redemption...
There’s plenty of space for the reader to interpret.
Engrossing - compelling - a worthy read!!
May 29, 2019
***NOW AVAILABLE***
This is one of those books that, as I pondered writing this review, I have changed my rating from a 4 to a 5. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how incredibly strong the characters in this book are, I finished it last week and I’m still thinking about them., all of them. If you love strong character driven books, you will love this one! I had a bit of believability issues with one of the main characters but it doesn’t take away from the entire body of work.
From the blurb you know that this novel is about two neighboring families, both husbands are policemen who started out as rookies on the NYPD force. The book is told from several points of view which I think greatly improved my understanding of how the individuals felt and acted.
Francis Gleeson has had a great career, he is strong willed, intelligent, diligent and yet with his family he has an incredible soft touch. He is the first to move to this new suburb, he, his wife and two daughters are doing well individually and as a family, although Lena is at times lonely and would like a larger life outside the home.
Within months Brian and Anne move in next door to the Gleeson’s. Brian and Francis are not close friends at this point, but they are friendly. Anne is quite a different matter, she does not go out of her way to befriend the Gleesons and keeps to her house much of the time. Later, both Anne and Lena have children only six months apart, Peter and Kate, who are immediately bonded to each other even as little friends. Their story will play a huge part in the novel.
A terrible incident occurs which changes the lives of everyone in both families, it is tragic, horrific and probably could have been avoided. The Stanhopes are forced to move away. I would not spoil this novel for anyone by giving away anything more.
This is a book that I couldn’t wait to get back to and finished in two days. This story hits all the emotional buttons, happiness, extreme sadness, frustration, hope, love and forgiveness. We are taken through the lives of these families who handle the tragedy in very different ways. The plot flows very well and is extremely well thought out. We really get to know these people, this is the first book this year that has touched me in this way.
Buy the book, read it, ponder what you would do in this situation and you won’t be disappointed.
As an afterthought, I did read The Walking People, by this author many years ago and it was excellent, so if you enjoy this one, go back and read the other.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This is one of those books that, as I pondered writing this review, I have changed my rating from a 4 to a 5. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how incredibly strong the characters in this book are, I finished it last week and I’m still thinking about them., all of them. If you love strong character driven books, you will love this one! I had a bit of believability issues with one of the main characters but it doesn’t take away from the entire body of work.
From the blurb you know that this novel is about two neighboring families, both husbands are policemen who started out as rookies on the NYPD force. The book is told from several points of view which I think greatly improved my understanding of how the individuals felt and acted.
Francis Gleeson has had a great career, he is strong willed, intelligent, diligent and yet with his family he has an incredible soft touch. He is the first to move to this new suburb, he, his wife and two daughters are doing well individually and as a family, although Lena is at times lonely and would like a larger life outside the home.
Within months Brian and Anne move in next door to the Gleeson’s. Brian and Francis are not close friends at this point, but they are friendly. Anne is quite a different matter, she does not go out of her way to befriend the Gleesons and keeps to her house much of the time. Later, both Anne and Lena have children only six months apart, Peter and Kate, who are immediately bonded to each other even as little friends. Their story will play a huge part in the novel.
A terrible incident occurs which changes the lives of everyone in both families, it is tragic, horrific and probably could have been avoided. The Stanhopes are forced to move away. I would not spoil this novel for anyone by giving away anything more.
This is a book that I couldn’t wait to get back to and finished in two days. This story hits all the emotional buttons, happiness, extreme sadness, frustration, hope, love and forgiveness. We are taken through the lives of these families who handle the tragedy in very different ways. The plot flows very well and is extremely well thought out. We really get to know these people, this is the first book this year that has touched me in this way.
Buy the book, read it, ponder what you would do in this situation and you won’t be disappointed.
As an afterthought, I did read The Walking People, by this author many years ago and it was excellent, so if you enjoy this one, go back and read the other.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
November 14, 2019
oooh, goodreads choice awards semifinalist for BEST FICTION 2019! what will happen?
heads up to whom it may concern: this book is primo book club bait. in general, the best book club choices are ones with juicy conflicts at their centers which inspire strong, differing, politely expressed opinions from your assembled booknerds. and the best of these have an extra component—they allow the reader a sort of peripheral empathy; taking recognizable, relatable issues like illness, marital/job stress, disputes with the neighbors, etc, and then dramatically inflating them into situations one hopes never to have to live through, providing that “there but for the” shiver.
the publisher's synopsis seems to want to keep its secrets, so i'll play along and summarize in the broadest terms: it’s about two families and one verybad night that changes the course of their lives for decades to come. and the specifics of this dramatically inflated situation, and all of its ripple effects, are sure to inspire some wide-ranging booknerd opinions.
it has all of the things that breed discussion—nuanced characters with complicated relationships given years to develop and adjust, and to confront life’s myriad challenges: infidelity, addiction, mental illness, abandonment, loneliness, regret—all of the meaty woes of life. but it’s also a first love story, with a bit of a romeo and juliet edge, although in this case, the capulet’s disapproval of their kid’s romantic choice is totally legit. awkward thanksgivings for sure.
it’s an engrossing and insightful story of human relationships and growth and forgiveness, but it’s not schmaltzy and sentimental like so many books of its kind. i liked it. maybe your book club will like it.
but don't take my word for it—there’s actually a literary litmus test for IS THIS A BOOK CLUB BOOK?
IS THIS A BOOK CLUB BOOK?
does it look like this?
it does!
does it look like this?
it does!
does it look like this?
it does!
I THINK IT IS A BOOK CLUB BOOK!!!
come to my blog!
heads up to whom it may concern: this book is primo book club bait. in general, the best book club choices are ones with juicy conflicts at their centers which inspire strong, differing, politely expressed opinions from your assembled booknerds. and the best of these have an extra component—they allow the reader a sort of peripheral empathy; taking recognizable, relatable issues like illness, marital/job stress, disputes with the neighbors, etc, and then dramatically inflating them into situations one hopes never to have to live through, providing that “there but for the” shiver.
the publisher's synopsis seems to want to keep its secrets, so i'll play along and summarize in the broadest terms: it’s about two families and one verybad night that changes the course of their lives for decades to come. and the specifics of this dramatically inflated situation, and all of its ripple effects, are sure to inspire some wide-ranging booknerd opinions.
it has all of the things that breed discussion—nuanced characters with complicated relationships given years to develop and adjust, and to confront life’s myriad challenges: infidelity, addiction, mental illness, abandonment, loneliness, regret—all of the meaty woes of life. but it’s also a first love story, with a bit of a romeo and juliet edge, although in this case, the capulet’s disapproval of their kid’s romantic choice is totally legit. awkward thanksgivings for sure.
it’s an engrossing and insightful story of human relationships and growth and forgiveness, but it’s not schmaltzy and sentimental like so many books of its kind. i liked it. maybe your book club will like it.
but don't take my word for it—there’s actually a literary litmus test for IS THIS A BOOK CLUB BOOK?
IS THIS A BOOK CLUB BOOK?
does it look like this?
it does!
does it look like this?
it does!
does it look like this?
it does!
I THINK IT IS A BOOK CLUB BOOK!!!
come to my blog!
June 17, 2019
FIVE UNPUTDOWNABLE STARS
Well. No reason to read any more books this year. This is it. My favorite of 2019.
While I tend to devour the psychological suspense novels, I also love a good and messy family drama novel. Ask Again, Yes is a character driven family saga covering almost three generations from Ireland to contemporary New York state.
The story revolves around two couples living as neighbors, but not really as friends. There is something a little cold about one of the wives and even though the men work as cops together, the families never hit it off. Over the years, one child from each family becomes very close with the other, and at the age of fourteen, this couple realizes they may even love each other. But then, a tragic incident. Their friendship and love for each other is put to the test many times in the years that follow for our young lovebirds.
However, this is so much more than a run of the mill Romeo and Juliet story.
Mary Beth Keane is a remarkable and gifted writer. She writes with empathy and concern for all her fictional characters. She cares about them. And, so will you. She seamlessly weaves in alcoholism, mental illness, parental obligations and marriage…so very carefully woven together, the problems sneak up on the reader just as they tend to do in real life.
Heartbreaking at times-never sentimental, uplifting other times, Ask Again, Yes is one of those books you will always remember reading. I am putting it up there with my all-time fave The Poisonwood Bible.
The 🎧audio🎧 is perfection—I listened to this book constantly for two days. It is an unforgettable story!
Well. No reason to read any more books this year. This is it. My favorite of 2019.
While I tend to devour the psychological suspense novels, I also love a good and messy family drama novel. Ask Again, Yes is a character driven family saga covering almost three generations from Ireland to contemporary New York state.
The story revolves around two couples living as neighbors, but not really as friends. There is something a little cold about one of the wives and even though the men work as cops together, the families never hit it off. Over the years, one child from each family becomes very close with the other, and at the age of fourteen, this couple realizes they may even love each other. But then, a tragic incident. Their friendship and love for each other is put to the test many times in the years that follow for our young lovebirds.
However, this is so much more than a run of the mill Romeo and Juliet story.
Mary Beth Keane is a remarkable and gifted writer. She writes with empathy and concern for all her fictional characters. She cares about them. And, so will you. She seamlessly weaves in alcoholism, mental illness, parental obligations and marriage…so very carefully woven together, the problems sneak up on the reader just as they tend to do in real life.
Heartbreaking at times-never sentimental, uplifting other times, Ask Again, Yes is one of those books you will always remember reading. I am putting it up there with my all-time fave The Poisonwood Bible.
The 🎧audio🎧 is perfection—I listened to this book constantly for two days. It is an unforgettable story!
December 31, 2019
My last five star book of the year.
I’d seen so many positive reviews about this book, I had to find time to listen to it. This is an extraordinarily poignant book. It grabbed me from the beginning and never let me go.
Two families reside side by side. The children are friends, but the parents have issues. Peter’s mom is mentally unbalanced. His father, a cop, tries to ignore her problems. Kate’s dad is also a cop, in fact, at one time they’d been rookie partners.
Keane totally gets what it’s like to be the child of a mentally ill parent - the walking on eggshells set off by that desire to just be able to walk away.
A few hours of listening in, there’s a tragic occurrence. We get to see how each of the participants reacts - who walks away, who lives to fight another day. I developed very strong feelings about certain characters. They are so well developed that I had trouble remembering this was fiction and they were not real people.
“Marriage is long. All the seams are tested. Love is only part of it”. Francis’ words spoke to me and sure enough, we see this sentiment played out time and again. The story is like the tide, it speeds up and slows down. We see happiness and profound sadness; forgiveness and redemption. Keane springs little surprises on us throughout the book. And when the realization about the book’s title becomes apparent, it brought tears to my eyes. And the ending was perfect.
This was a great audiobook.
I’d seen so many positive reviews about this book, I had to find time to listen to it. This is an extraordinarily poignant book. It grabbed me from the beginning and never let me go.
Two families reside side by side. The children are friends, but the parents have issues. Peter’s mom is mentally unbalanced. His father, a cop, tries to ignore her problems. Kate’s dad is also a cop, in fact, at one time they’d been rookie partners.
Keane totally gets what it’s like to be the child of a mentally ill parent - the walking on eggshells set off by that desire to just be able to walk away.
A few hours of listening in, there’s a tragic occurrence. We get to see how each of the participants reacts - who walks away, who lives to fight another day. I developed very strong feelings about certain characters. They are so well developed that I had trouble remembering this was fiction and they were not real people.
“Marriage is long. All the seams are tested. Love is only part of it”. Francis’ words spoke to me and sure enough, we see this sentiment played out time and again. The story is like the tide, it speeds up and slows down. We see happiness and profound sadness; forgiveness and redemption. Keane springs little surprises on us throughout the book. And when the realization about the book’s title becomes apparent, it brought tears to my eyes. And the ending was perfect.
This was a great audiobook.
December 20, 2018
The cover of this book is remarkable and behind the cover is a remarkable book. At first glance, the cover appears to be an example of a painting technique known as impasto (I think). Closer scrutiny reveals a typical suburban neighborhood that could be Anywhere, USA. And so it is with this novel. At first glance, Ask Again, Yes seems to be an American dream or coming of age novel and in some ways it is but beneath these obvious themes lie much more. A violent act leaves two families forever changed and another event leaves them forever linked. You will live the decades of these characters’ lives right along with them. Mental illness, stoicism, alcoholism, achievement, love and forgiveness mark this marvelous novel and the author treats her characters with great tenderness. You won’t forget them.
May 17, 2020
contemporary fiction. i keep forgetting how much i love this genre. i always find myself amazed each time i pick up a book that perfectly showcases how ordinary people can be extraordinary. this story doesnt rely on gimmicks. theres no shying away from difficult topics. its just me, falling in love with simple characters doing the best they can.
tenderly written and honestly told, this story is one of humanity, forgiveness, determination, and love. im so impressed with this.
↠ 4.5 stars
‘there was no predicting where life would go. there was no real way for a person to try something out, to see if he liked it, because you try it and try it and try it a little longer and next thing it's who you are.’i love stories which remind me that, even though we have different struggles in life, we all have them. and that commonality, that bond, can go as deep as we allow it. regardless if its with our neighbour, our mother, or our husband. this book shows us how, in the wake of tragedy, a bond has the ability to form because of it.
tenderly written and honestly told, this story is one of humanity, forgiveness, determination, and love. im so impressed with this.
↠ 4.5 stars
June 9, 2019
5 enthusiastic stars!
“Life is top heavy, that what happens early matters the most in shaping you”. The author writes beautifully and she showed us this truth in these characters in a way that was profound and deeply moving. We all start our lives full of promise and hope, never knowing the heartache and trials that await us. Such is life. And most of us would do it all over again.
This is a difficult book to summarize without spoilers so I’m keeping this review short on plot. The Stanhopes and Gleesons become neighbors in a suburb of NYC, when both are young married couples starting their families, full of hope for the future. Although both husbands are with the NYC police department, and are now next door neighbors, they have little to do with one another socially. However, a deep friendship blooms between 2 of their children, Kate and Peter.
Tragedy strikes and the resulting trauma changes the course of their lives. The focus is on how these two families find their way through it and make peace with the past. They go through a world of heartache but, written with empathy and insight, the story is not without hope. Best of all, this story is a realistic one with characters that felt real to me, and ones I came to care about deeply.
" ...memory is a fact that has been dyed and trimmed and rinsed so many times that it comes out looking almost unrecognizable to anyone else who was in that room...."
If you enjoy excellent writing and complicated family stories that are character-driven with thought-provoking themes, then pick this one up. A lot of heavy themes are covered but the author weaves them in so seamlessly that it works beautifully.
Nothing I can say will do this book justice. This is a case where the hype is justified and it has earned a place on my all-time favorites list.
• Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
• This was a buddy read with Marialyce and a book that sparked terrific discussions. This would make a great book club choice. Our duo review of this and others can be found on her blog at https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
“Life is top heavy, that what happens early matters the most in shaping you”. The author writes beautifully and she showed us this truth in these characters in a way that was profound and deeply moving. We all start our lives full of promise and hope, never knowing the heartache and trials that await us. Such is life. And most of us would do it all over again.
This is a difficult book to summarize without spoilers so I’m keeping this review short on plot. The Stanhopes and Gleesons become neighbors in a suburb of NYC, when both are young married couples starting their families, full of hope for the future. Although both husbands are with the NYC police department, and are now next door neighbors, they have little to do with one another socially. However, a deep friendship blooms between 2 of their children, Kate and Peter.
Tragedy strikes and the resulting trauma changes the course of their lives. The focus is on how these two families find their way through it and make peace with the past. They go through a world of heartache but, written with empathy and insight, the story is not without hope. Best of all, this story is a realistic one with characters that felt real to me, and ones I came to care about deeply.
" ...memory is a fact that has been dyed and trimmed and rinsed so many times that it comes out looking almost unrecognizable to anyone else who was in that room...."
If you enjoy excellent writing and complicated family stories that are character-driven with thought-provoking themes, then pick this one up. A lot of heavy themes are covered but the author weaves them in so seamlessly that it works beautifully.
Nothing I can say will do this book justice. This is a case where the hype is justified and it has earned a place on my all-time favorites list.
• Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
• This was a buddy read with Marialyce and a book that sparked terrific discussions. This would make a great book club choice. Our duo review of this and others can be found on her blog at https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
April 21, 2023
This one was really hard to rate until I thought things through as I wrote my review. There are some very strong positives about this book, but the disappointments are…well, really disappointing.
First, the positives. Ask Again,Yes is extremely well written. This author can really tell a tale in a most accomplished manner. The story involves the relationships between two families and amongst the individual members of both from the early 1970s to the present. The depth and complexity of the writing is impressive. I thought for the most part these people were characterized in a deep and realistic fashion. Moreover, my interest, though it waxed and waned a bit, did not falter though the novel is fairly long.
Then there are the negatives. I found the first 20% of the book to be on the slow side; it was hard to grasp where the story was going. The pace picks up after that, though I wasn’t flipping the pages like mad until the last 20%. In addition, I had a hard time really connecting with the main characters despite the fact they were likeable. Overall, I did enjoy the story, but it just did not draw out any major emotion in me, not even in the end. The ending is actually very well done, but it was like, “hey, that was good” as opposed to “oh, man, I’m going to cry now, and I just don’t want to leave these characters who I will be thinking about for the next couple of months.” I need those feelings to fully enjoy a book. Plus, there was just so much sadness in this novel. Too much for my current mood, I guess. Not really the book’s fault.
Despite the negatives taking up more space than the positives in this review, in the end the latter actually outweighs the former, allowing me to rate this a solid 4 stars. This is indeed a quality work that I can recommend to all looking for a meaty read. Ms. Keane has made an impression on me, and I will definitely be interested in seeing what she comes up with next. I just hope it will have a more profound effect on me.
Thank you Net Galley, Scribner, and Ms. Mary Beth Keane for gifting me an advanced review copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
First, the positives. Ask Again,Yes is extremely well written. This author can really tell a tale in a most accomplished manner. The story involves the relationships between two families and amongst the individual members of both from the early 1970s to the present. The depth and complexity of the writing is impressive. I thought for the most part these people were characterized in a deep and realistic fashion. Moreover, my interest, though it waxed and waned a bit, did not falter though the novel is fairly long.
Then there are the negatives. I found the first 20% of the book to be on the slow side; it was hard to grasp where the story was going. The pace picks up after that, though I wasn’t flipping the pages like mad until the last 20%. In addition, I had a hard time really connecting with the main characters despite the fact they were likeable. Overall, I did enjoy the story, but it just did not draw out any major emotion in me, not even in the end. The ending is actually very well done, but it was like, “hey, that was good” as opposed to “oh, man, I’m going to cry now, and I just don’t want to leave these characters who I will be thinking about for the next couple of months.” I need those feelings to fully enjoy a book. Plus, there was just so much sadness in this novel. Too much for my current mood, I guess. Not really the book’s fault.
Despite the negatives taking up more space than the positives in this review, in the end the latter actually outweighs the former, allowing me to rate this a solid 4 stars. This is indeed a quality work that I can recommend to all looking for a meaty read. Ms. Keane has made an impression on me, and I will definitely be interested in seeing what she comes up with next. I just hope it will have a more profound effect on me.
Thank you Net Galley, Scribner, and Ms. Mary Beth Keane for gifting me an advanced review copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
August 18, 2019
I listened via Audible. Would have enjoyed a more expressive narrator.
I liked it, didn't love it as so many of my friends and others have. Read their reviews!
I do enjoy family dramas with authentic characters, but I really only connected with Kate. I wanted to care more about the others, would have appreciated stronger personalities and feel more anticipation than I did for the majority of the book.
It was slow paced for me and somewhat mundane - yes bored, lets move on....
What I did love was the message of forgiveness and how it can heal, This was the point of the book to me. Actions have consequences, bad habits are passed down through generations, mental illness is real and forgiveness is key. Yes,again, Yes.
I'm clearly in the minority so check out the many glowing reviews.
I liked it, didn't love it as so many of my friends and others have. Read their reviews!
I do enjoy family dramas with authentic characters, but I really only connected with Kate. I wanted to care more about the others, would have appreciated stronger personalities and feel more anticipation than I did for the majority of the book.
It was slow paced for me and somewhat mundane - yes bored, lets move on....
What I did love was the message of forgiveness and how it can heal, This was the point of the book to me. Actions have consequences, bad habits are passed down through generations, mental illness is real and forgiveness is key. Yes,again, Yes.
I'm clearly in the minority so check out the many glowing reviews.
September 12, 2020
Mary Beth Keane writes a poignant and powerful epic character driven multi-generational family drama spanning decades, sensitively exploring family dynamics, the darkness and the issues that so often reside in the heart of a family behind closed doors. In the 1970s, Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are rookie cops in NYPD that end up living outside the city on the same street. A pregnant and lonely Lena Gleeson tries so hard to befriend Anne Stanhope only to be rebuffed. However, their children, so close in age, Kate, and the only Stanhope child, Pete, develop a close, life enduring, relationship through their childhood that flowers into romance as adults. However, their love is to be tested to the limits when tragedy strikes, the repercussions of which echo through the years, culminating in estrangement.
Years later, Pete and Kate reconnect, all their old feelings for each other remaining intact, leaving them having to address the past that haunts them, finding their memories of long ago shifting considerably. This slow moving, memorable and emotionally charged family drama has flawed and messed up characters, authentically portrays the chaotic and heartbreaking nature of families. I found this to be compulsive, moving and well written storytelling that takes in mental health issues, alcoholism, abuse, betrayal, family loyalties, love, loss, forgiveness, hope and resilience. A brilliant novel that will appeal to those looking for a thought provoking book with complex characters, heartrending family issues and dynamics through the decades. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph.
Years later, Pete and Kate reconnect, all their old feelings for each other remaining intact, leaving them having to address the past that haunts them, finding their memories of long ago shifting considerably. This slow moving, memorable and emotionally charged family drama has flawed and messed up characters, authentically portrays the chaotic and heartbreaking nature of families. I found this to be compulsive, moving and well written storytelling that takes in mental health issues, alcoholism, abuse, betrayal, family loyalties, love, loss, forgiveness, hope and resilience. A brilliant novel that will appeal to those looking for a thought provoking book with complex characters, heartrending family issues and dynamics through the decades. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph.
August 17, 2023
One of the best books I have read for a Group read pick!
Ask, Again, Yes is a moving, quiet beautifully written family drama that explores love, forgiveness, friendship, tragedy and trauma that takes place over four decades. We see neighbors whose lives are intertwined when tragedy strikes and a violent act tears them apart.
Mary Beth Keane writes with compassion and I could feel the tenderness, generosity and grace she has given her characters. I was completely drawn into the lives of Peter and Kate who are both flawed by their childhood. I was fully invested in them over the years as they piece together their lives.
There are many things quietly written in the sentences here and secrets in the layers to the story. At times I felt like I was observing the story and left to find those secrets for myself instead of being shown the story and allowing me to feel what the characters are feeling. It left me so many questions as I was reading the story to pondered and so much I wanted to talk about.
The ending left me with too many questions with not enough closure with the many variables left opened for me to delve deep into the story with my own thoughts. However, that is what makes this story an excellent choice for group reads to discuss the many variables to this story and I really enjoyed discussing this one a few of our Traveling Sisters. I highly recommend.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my complimentary copy.
Ask, Again, Yes is a moving, quiet beautifully written family drama that explores love, forgiveness, friendship, tragedy and trauma that takes place over four decades. We see neighbors whose lives are intertwined when tragedy strikes and a violent act tears them apart.
Mary Beth Keane writes with compassion and I could feel the tenderness, generosity and grace she has given her characters. I was completely drawn into the lives of Peter and Kate who are both flawed by their childhood. I was fully invested in them over the years as they piece together their lives.
There are many things quietly written in the sentences here and secrets in the layers to the story. At times I felt like I was observing the story and left to find those secrets for myself instead of being shown the story and allowing me to feel what the characters are feeling. It left me so many questions as I was reading the story to pondered and so much I wanted to talk about.
The ending left me with too many questions with not enough closure with the many variables left opened for me to delve deep into the story with my own thoughts. However, that is what makes this story an excellent choice for group reads to discuss the many variables to this story and I really enjoyed discussing this one a few of our Traveling Sisters. I highly recommend.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my complimentary copy.
July 1, 2019
Mary Beth Keane's novel, Ask Again, Yes is ultimately about family, love, mistakes, forgiveness and being able to move forward in life, to move past tragedy and embrace our lives - both the good and bad moments.
This is definitely not my typical type of read but I'm so glad I gave it a try. The Gleesons and the Stanhopes fully captured me. I easily found myself invested in these people as I followed their family histories through time.
Brian Stanhope and Francis Gleeson are rookie cops who meet at the academy and are then assigned to the same precinct. Years later they find themselves living next to each other, their children becoming friends and the families forever intertwined.
This is also a story that sheds light on some of the darker aspects of family life - alcoholism, mental illness, abuse and infidelity.
On a night when young Peter Stanhope and Kate Gleeson sneak out to be together, tragedy strikes causing a huge rift between the two families. The two teenagers are ripped apart from each other despite their love for each other. Can their love survive distance, time and familial obligation?
I loved Kate and Peter so much! I was fully invested in their story and how it evolved over time. Though this was a slow moving novel (which I'm typically not a huge fan of), I found myself coming back to it every chance I got. The characters were well fleshed out and Keane wrote about mental illness with sensitivity. What I enjoyed most was that the relationships were not fluffy and easy - they were messy, complicated and deeply moving. This thought provoking book is one that should not be missed!
Thank you to Mary Beth Keane, Scribner and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book!
This is definitely not my typical type of read but I'm so glad I gave it a try. The Gleesons and the Stanhopes fully captured me. I easily found myself invested in these people as I followed their family histories through time.
Brian Stanhope and Francis Gleeson are rookie cops who meet at the academy and are then assigned to the same precinct. Years later they find themselves living next to each other, their children becoming friends and the families forever intertwined.
This is also a story that sheds light on some of the darker aspects of family life - alcoholism, mental illness, abuse and infidelity.
On a night when young Peter Stanhope and Kate Gleeson sneak out to be together, tragedy strikes causing a huge rift between the two families. The two teenagers are ripped apart from each other despite their love for each other. Can their love survive distance, time and familial obligation?
I loved Kate and Peter so much! I was fully invested in their story and how it evolved over time. Though this was a slow moving novel (which I'm typically not a huge fan of), I found myself coming back to it every chance I got. The characters were well fleshed out and Keane wrote about mental illness with sensitivity. What I enjoyed most was that the relationships were not fluffy and easy - they were messy, complicated and deeply moving. This thought provoking book is one that should not be missed!
Thank you to Mary Beth Keane, Scribner and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book!
April 13, 2019
A beautifully crafted family drama that explores love, forgiveness and the ability to move on.
Do you have the strength to move past a tragedy? Come out the other side stronger? Or will the crushing weight of it all define you, re-shaping your life?
Francis and Lena Gleeson are raising their 3 daughters in a quiet neighborhood. Frances is a police officer well respected by all. A rising star in his department, he has truly found his calling.
Brian Stanhope lives next door with his wife Anne and their son. Brian too is a police officer, and though he was once partnered with Francis, his career path has fallen well behind.
When a tragedy rocks the lives of both families no one is left unscathed. Not the parents, not the children. All are left in the aftermath, trying to stitch their lives back together and move forward.
This book left me at a loss for words. It touched me profoundly. Not to tears, but somewhere perhaps even deeper, causing me to look back at my own family...my life. How a singular event in your past can shape your life. Taking you down a road you may have otherwise never ventured.
Even now...I find myself still reflecting upon this book.
An emotional buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner and Mary Beth Keane for an ARC to read and review.
Do you have the strength to move past a tragedy? Come out the other side stronger? Or will the crushing weight of it all define you, re-shaping your life?
Francis and Lena Gleeson are raising their 3 daughters in a quiet neighborhood. Frances is a police officer well respected by all. A rising star in his department, he has truly found his calling.
Brian Stanhope lives next door with his wife Anne and their son. Brian too is a police officer, and though he was once partnered with Francis, his career path has fallen well behind.
When a tragedy rocks the lives of both families no one is left unscathed. Not the parents, not the children. All are left in the aftermath, trying to stitch their lives back together and move forward.
This book left me at a loss for words. It touched me profoundly. Not to tears, but somewhere perhaps even deeper, causing me to look back at my own family...my life. How a singular event in your past can shape your life. Taking you down a road you may have otherwise never ventured.
Even now...I find myself still reflecting upon this book.
An emotional buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner and Mary Beth Keane for an ARC to read and review.
December 4, 2019
5 stars!
A powerful, thought-provoking journey through the lives of two families forever changed by tragedy.
Everything about this book got to me! The exquisite writing, the relatable characters, the life changing decisions. Once I started, this novel consumed my thoughts whether I was reading it or not. I wanted to get to the end to see how everything would turn out, yet I dreaded flipping that last page and having to say goodbye to these remarkable people. These characters tugged at my heart and had me contemplating how I would handle being in each and every one of their shoes. There is a lot to think about and consider in this slow burn, emotional story that had me utterly engrossed and invested. I was rooting for and felt deeply for EVERY SINGLE character. That’s quite the feat for this author considering there are many characters entwined within the pages of this novel.
This is my first book by Mary Beth Keane. She does an outstanding job providing an intimate look into the most tender and vulnerable parts of these characters’ relationships. I felt honoured to be witness to such vulnerable and private situations. There were SEVERAL sentences and paragraphs that spoke to my heart. I quite literally had to pause many times while reading to close my eyes and let the words resonate for a moment because they were so deeply touching and real. My whole heart was invested in and hanging on every word.
Be warned, this isn’t a happy book. There is a deep sense of sadness throughout. However, it is a sadness that has a strong sense of hope. The sadness enabled me to immediately connect with the characters and feel for them which had me invested from the first to last chapter.
I had read multiple raving reviews about this book which is what enticed me to pick it up. Nothing could have prepared me for how deeply moved I was while reading this. I didn’t cry, but I FELT everything these characters were going through. It is an outstanding novel that I will be thinking about long after I finish writing this review.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan of this exceptional book!
A powerful, thought-provoking journey through the lives of two families forever changed by tragedy.
Everything about this book got to me! The exquisite writing, the relatable characters, the life changing decisions. Once I started, this novel consumed my thoughts whether I was reading it or not. I wanted to get to the end to see how everything would turn out, yet I dreaded flipping that last page and having to say goodbye to these remarkable people. These characters tugged at my heart and had me contemplating how I would handle being in each and every one of their shoes. There is a lot to think about and consider in this slow burn, emotional story that had me utterly engrossed and invested. I was rooting for and felt deeply for EVERY SINGLE character. That’s quite the feat for this author considering there are many characters entwined within the pages of this novel.
This is my first book by Mary Beth Keane. She does an outstanding job providing an intimate look into the most tender and vulnerable parts of these characters’ relationships. I felt honoured to be witness to such vulnerable and private situations. There were SEVERAL sentences and paragraphs that spoke to my heart. I quite literally had to pause many times while reading to close my eyes and let the words resonate for a moment because they were so deeply touching and real. My whole heart was invested in and hanging on every word.
Be warned, this isn’t a happy book. There is a deep sense of sadness throughout. However, it is a sadness that has a strong sense of hope. The sadness enabled me to immediately connect with the characters and feel for them which had me invested from the first to last chapter.
I had read multiple raving reviews about this book which is what enticed me to pick it up. Nothing could have prepared me for how deeply moved I was while reading this. I didn’t cry, but I FELT everything these characters were going through. It is an outstanding novel that I will be thinking about long after I finish writing this review.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan of this exceptional book!
April 7, 2020
Each of these characters deserves a kiss on the forehead.
That’s it.
That’s the review.
I mean, I could say that this book is beautifully written, that it is a test of empathy, a joyous one, that you will ache and feel and celebrate alongside these characters.
But everything really boils down to the fact that every single character in this whole book, from the main characters to their relatives to the people they meet at the grocery store deli counter (ahem), deserves to be given a big hug and tucked into bed in cozy pajamas with a mug of cocoa.
WITH marshmallows.
And that’s that.
-----------
by the time i woke up this morning, my reading buddy had already started and finished this book. i spent like 2 seconds feeling indignant, but then i was too busy starting and finishing it too.
lily: you are forgiven.
review to come / 4 stars
-----------
ready for this book to ruin me
buddy reading with the love of my life
That’s it.
That’s the review.
I mean, I could say that this book is beautifully written, that it is a test of empathy, a joyous one, that you will ache and feel and celebrate alongside these characters.
But everything really boils down to the fact that every single character in this whole book, from the main characters to their relatives to the people they meet at the grocery store deli counter (ahem), deserves to be given a big hug and tucked into bed in cozy pajamas with a mug of cocoa.
WITH marshmallows.
And that’s that.
-----------
by the time i woke up this morning, my reading buddy had already started and finished this book. i spent like 2 seconds feeling indignant, but then i was too busy starting and finishing it too.
lily: you are forgiven.
review to come / 4 stars
-----------
ready for this book to ruin me
buddy reading with the love of my life
October 14, 2021
“The thing is, Peter, grown-ups don't know what they're doing any better than kids do. That's the truth.”
I’ve had this book on my tbr for so long, I KNEW from the synopsis that it would be a book I loved. It’s been a long time since I read so many pages in one sitting. It is a slow read because of the nature of the story spanning over many years. I love stories like this. Ones where you fall into the writing which is poignant in it’s simplicity.
The characters were all so well fleshed out and we get to see things from the perspective of almost all the characters (kind of like in Little Fires Everywhere).
Ask Again, Yes dealt with so many things such as: mental illness, the effects this has on the child of a parent with mental illness, gun violence, domestic abuse, neglect and alcoholism. The many forms of love and forgiveness.
Most of this story is set after the tragedy and how everyone from both families moved on and dealt with the consequences of that night.
I quickly became so invested in this story and these characters, I cried many times as their hardships affected me so. I felt a bit conflicted with the ending but after some pondering I realised it ended just right.
Would highly recommend this to anyone who loved Little Fires Everywhere or multi generational stories.
March 24, 2019
Oh my... this book...these characters.
I loved this story. The story starts out in the 1970’s, with two young New York police officers (partners, for awhile) who end up living next door to each other in a suburban neighborhood.
As their family’s are growing, a tragedy occurs that changes all their lives, and keeps them entwined forever.
Mental illness, alcoholism, estrangements, and most of all love and forgiveness are at the center of this novel that takes the reader with them to present day.
This novel touched my heart!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC!
I loved this story. The story starts out in the 1970’s, with two young New York police officers (partners, for awhile) who end up living next door to each other in a suburban neighborhood.
As their family’s are growing, a tragedy occurs that changes all their lives, and keeps them entwined forever.
Mental illness, alcoholism, estrangements, and most of all love and forgiveness are at the center of this novel that takes the reader with them to present day.
This novel touched my heart!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC!
June 21, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Please be advised I am 100% a wrongreader of this one. However, as long as things like Book of the Month Club and Instagram and endless zero-cost-to-me reads from my library exist, I will continue reading everything available to me (generally without even looking at a blurb or a review first, as was the case here) for the rest of eternity.
Simply put, Ask Again, Yes is a family drama – or what I like to call . . . .
The story here follows two families for decades and decades and decades. It takes a turn with the occurrence of a superbadawful and continues on from there until it comes full circle. As I said above, I have read a crapton of books like these. Mainly because Oprah used to push them by saying stuff like . . . .
I like to be messed up. Unfortunately stories like this tend to not work out so great for me because . . . .
Now, there are exceptions (lookin at you, Ove), but generally I feel manipulated when I finish this type of book and it results in a low rating because I live for reads that truly make me feel the feeeeeeeelz, not ones that make me feel like a failure because no matter how hard the author tried, my robot heart just couldn’t get on board.
I would have given this three stars, but there was a decade-long timehop that wound up with everything that made the story take its second twist being glossed over and that was unacceptable to me. Rarely do I say books should be longer, but in this case a hundred or more pages would have been happily accepted.
Please be advised I am 100% a wrongreader of this one. However, as long as things like Book of the Month Club and Instagram and endless zero-cost-to-me reads from my library exist, I will continue reading everything available to me (generally without even looking at a blurb or a review first, as was the case here) for the rest of eternity.
Simply put, Ask Again, Yes is a family drama – or what I like to call . . . .
The story here follows two families for decades and decades and decades. It takes a turn with the occurrence of a superbadawful and continues on from there until it comes full circle. As I said above, I have read a crapton of books like these. Mainly because Oprah used to push them by saying stuff like . . . .
I like to be messed up. Unfortunately stories like this tend to not work out so great for me because . . . .
Now, there are exceptions (lookin at you, Ove), but generally I feel manipulated when I finish this type of book and it results in a low rating because I live for reads that truly make me feel the feeeeeeeelz, not ones that make me feel like a failure because no matter how hard the author tried, my robot heart just couldn’t get on board.
I would have given this three stars, but there was a decade-long timehop that wound up with everything that made the story take its second twist being glossed over and that was unacceptable to me. Rarely do I say books should be longer, but in this case a hundred or more pages would have been happily accepted.
April 11, 2023
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane is a Compelling and Addictive Family and Literary Fiction Story!
Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope are born six months apart to neighboring families in a small suburban community outside of New York City. Their fathers are NYC police officers who rarely speak to each other outside of work and their families never socialize together.
The notable exception in these two families is the friendship Kate and Peter have managed to create together. A friendship that is beginning to show signs of budding into something more. Something much deeper.
Then one night an incident takes place that changes the trajectory of both families and tests the bonds of the relationship between Kate and Peter over the next thirty years...
After reading and loving Mary Beth Keane's newest book The Half Moon, I decided to read her bestseller that's been sitting on my TBR shelf since 2019, Ask Again, Yes and I'm so glad I did.
Everything that I love about The Half Moon is what I love about this one, too. Mary Beth Keane knows how to write character driven stories that dive deeply into a relationship. The atmosphere is just as dark and tense, the reader hears the story from all sides, and this author writes about broken characters so well.
The subject matter is tough with struggles of mental illness and child neglect, marriage and infidelity, alcoholism and recovery, forgiveness and discovery - all topics that have touched my life at one point. Family Fiction is not for the faint-at-heart and, beginning with the prologue and all the way to the end, I was captured by these two families, their drama, their tragedies, and their tireless efforts to carry on.
Ask Again, Yes is a character driven story that's brimming with depth, the author's beautiful writing that's both compelling and addictive, and I simply couldn't get enough of it. I'm in love with everything about this book and highly recommend it to those who love a blend of Family and Literary Fiction!
5 Compelling and Addictive Stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Afterthought: I read my owned hardcover copy of this book while listening to a Knox County Library loan of the audiobook and, although my preference is most always listening rather than reading (sight issues), I found reading the print copy rather than listening more relative to this story. It could also be the reminiscent and unmistakable smell of book paper, too. Who knows?😊
Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope are born six months apart to neighboring families in a small suburban community outside of New York City. Their fathers are NYC police officers who rarely speak to each other outside of work and their families never socialize together.
The notable exception in these two families is the friendship Kate and Peter have managed to create together. A friendship that is beginning to show signs of budding into something more. Something much deeper.
Then one night an incident takes place that changes the trajectory of both families and tests the bonds of the relationship between Kate and Peter over the next thirty years...
After reading and loving Mary Beth Keane's newest book The Half Moon, I decided to read her bestseller that's been sitting on my TBR shelf since 2019, Ask Again, Yes and I'm so glad I did.
Everything that I love about The Half Moon is what I love about this one, too. Mary Beth Keane knows how to write character driven stories that dive deeply into a relationship. The atmosphere is just as dark and tense, the reader hears the story from all sides, and this author writes about broken characters so well.
The subject matter is tough with struggles of mental illness and child neglect, marriage and infidelity, alcoholism and recovery, forgiveness and discovery - all topics that have touched my life at one point. Family Fiction is not for the faint-at-heart and, beginning with the prologue and all the way to the end, I was captured by these two families, their drama, their tragedies, and their tireless efforts to carry on.
Ask Again, Yes is a character driven story that's brimming with depth, the author's beautiful writing that's both compelling and addictive, and I simply couldn't get enough of it. I'm in love with everything about this book and highly recommend it to those who love a blend of Family and Literary Fiction!
5 Compelling and Addictive Stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Afterthought: I read my owned hardcover copy of this book while listening to a Knox County Library loan of the audiobook and, although my preference is most always listening rather than reading (sight issues), I found reading the print copy rather than listening more relative to this story. It could also be the reminiscent and unmistakable smell of book paper, too. Who knows?😊
May 8, 2019
For a short time they were partners, Francis and Brian, two cops from the same precinct. Then they moved their families to the same neighborhood, across the street from each other. Brian's only son and Francis's youngest daughter grow up best friends. Then something terrible happens that will divide these two family's for decades.
Domestic fiction can be tricky to write, to find the right tone. This novel got it pretty neat to right. Although many dramatic occurrences happen, the tone is not overly dramatic, in fact at times I felt it was rather cool. I prefer it that way. When I read a book that is overly dramatic in it's telling, I always compare it to a soap opera. I don't watch them and I certainly don't want to read them. The way this was told, the story itself seemed very realistic. This could happen and may have, somewhere.
It deals with some important issues as well. Alcoholism and it's effect on a family, mental illness and the lack of options in the seventies. A time when what happened in a family was supposed to stay in the family. Forgiveness and regret, and what we will do for those we love. Abandonment and responsibilty, how the lingering effects sometimes takes years but unresolved issues will eventually read it ugly head.
I enjoyed the changing faces of these characters, their growth as people, people who can at last acknowledge their own parts in the events that occur. Things don't happen in a vacuum as this book so adequately displays.
ARC from Edelweiss.
Domestic fiction can be tricky to write, to find the right tone. This novel got it pretty neat to right. Although many dramatic occurrences happen, the tone is not overly dramatic, in fact at times I felt it was rather cool. I prefer it that way. When I read a book that is overly dramatic in it's telling, I always compare it to a soap opera. I don't watch them and I certainly don't want to read them. The way this was told, the story itself seemed very realistic. This could happen and may have, somewhere.
It deals with some important issues as well. Alcoholism and it's effect on a family, mental illness and the lack of options in the seventies. A time when what happened in a family was supposed to stay in the family. Forgiveness and regret, and what we will do for those we love. Abandonment and responsibilty, how the lingering effects sometimes takes years but unresolved issues will eventually read it ugly head.
I enjoyed the changing faces of these characters, their growth as people, people who can at last acknowledge their own parts in the events that occur. Things don't happen in a vacuum as this book so adequately displays.
ARC from Edelweiss.
July 29, 2019
3.5 stars.
The repercussions of a decision or an action can have ripple effects for years to come. No better is this demonstrated than in Mary Beth Keane's new novel, Ask Again, Yes . This story of how much we owe those we love and how much we should endure for the sake of family is tremendously thought-provoking and emotional.
Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are both rookie policemen for the NYPD in the 1970s. They build a friendship of sorts based on their mutual Irish heritage, although it is not a solid friendship because Francis is much more focused on being a good cop than Brian is. Still, the two wind up living next door to each other with their wives and children outside the city.
While Francis' youngest daughter, Kate, and Brian's son Peter, only six months apart in age, become inseparable friends, the Stanhopes—particularly Anne, Brian's wife—keep the Gleesons at a distance. Anne isn't interested in building a relationship with her neighbors, and she is definitely against the idea of Peter and Kate becoming closer as they grow into their teenage years.
One night, an explosive situation rocks both families and changes everything, inflicting irrevocable damage. Kate and Peter both are forced to make choices they might not have otherwise, and bear more burdens than they should at that age. But regardless of the circumstances, neither is far from the other's mind or heart, despite how much they are encouraged to move on.
Over the course of 30-plus years, the fallout from that one night continues to wreak havoc with many lives. But rather than let it control them forever, it is up to Kate and Peter to do what they can to shed that burden. But that is easier said than done, especially with the memories of those days which keep weighing on them.
"They'd both learned that a memory is a fact that's been dyed and trimmed and rinsed so many times that it comes out looking almost unrecognizable to anyone else who was in that room, anyone else who was standing on the grass beneath that telephone pole."
Ask Again, Yes is a story about love, both romantic and familial. It's a story about resentment, about familial obligation, and whether you should choose your own path or do what's best for everyone else. It's also a story about not letting your past define you, and trying to find strength to rebuild even when all you want to do is curl into a hole.
This book has a lot of emotions running through it, lots of situations that might cause you to think, "What would I do in this situation?" Keane is an excellent storyteller and she has created characters with real flaws, characters you wish you could shake some sense into from time to time.
Perhaps because this book was more character-driven than plot-driven, it moved very slowly for me. I didn't want to stop reading it, but I kept hoping that it would grab me completely. I will admit I did get a bit emotional toward the end so it did resonate for me, but it just didn't quite blow me away as much as it has others. But given the feedback I've seen, you may want to give this one a try!!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
The repercussions of a decision or an action can have ripple effects for years to come. No better is this demonstrated than in Mary Beth Keane's new novel, Ask Again, Yes . This story of how much we owe those we love and how much we should endure for the sake of family is tremendously thought-provoking and emotional.
Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are both rookie policemen for the NYPD in the 1970s. They build a friendship of sorts based on their mutual Irish heritage, although it is not a solid friendship because Francis is much more focused on being a good cop than Brian is. Still, the two wind up living next door to each other with their wives and children outside the city.
While Francis' youngest daughter, Kate, and Brian's son Peter, only six months apart in age, become inseparable friends, the Stanhopes—particularly Anne, Brian's wife—keep the Gleesons at a distance. Anne isn't interested in building a relationship with her neighbors, and she is definitely against the idea of Peter and Kate becoming closer as they grow into their teenage years.
One night, an explosive situation rocks both families and changes everything, inflicting irrevocable damage. Kate and Peter both are forced to make choices they might not have otherwise, and bear more burdens than they should at that age. But regardless of the circumstances, neither is far from the other's mind or heart, despite how much they are encouraged to move on.
Over the course of 30-plus years, the fallout from that one night continues to wreak havoc with many lives. But rather than let it control them forever, it is up to Kate and Peter to do what they can to shed that burden. But that is easier said than done, especially with the memories of those days which keep weighing on them.
"They'd both learned that a memory is a fact that's been dyed and trimmed and rinsed so many times that it comes out looking almost unrecognizable to anyone else who was in that room, anyone else who was standing on the grass beneath that telephone pole."
Ask Again, Yes is a story about love, both romantic and familial. It's a story about resentment, about familial obligation, and whether you should choose your own path or do what's best for everyone else. It's also a story about not letting your past define you, and trying to find strength to rebuild even when all you want to do is curl into a hole.
This book has a lot of emotions running through it, lots of situations that might cause you to think, "What would I do in this situation?" Keane is an excellent storyteller and she has created characters with real flaws, characters you wish you could shake some sense into from time to time.
Perhaps because this book was more character-driven than plot-driven, it moved very slowly for me. I didn't want to stop reading it, but I kept hoping that it would grab me completely. I will admit I did get a bit emotional toward the end so it did resonate for me, but it just didn't quite blow me away as much as it has others. But given the feedback I've seen, you may want to give this one a try!!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
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