The Condition A Novel
The Condition by Jennifer Haigh is a reprint edition published by HarperCollins on June 30, 2009, featuring 416 pages in English. This novel delves into the complexities of the McKotch family, whose dynamics unravel during their annual retreat on Cape Cod in the summer of 1976. The narrative unfolds twenty years later, focusing on the impact of daughter Gwen’s diagnosis with Turner’s syndrome, which leaves her emotionally and physically stunted. The story captures the lives of her family members, including her divorced parents and two brothers, each grappling with their own struggles and secrets.
Readers will find a poignant exploration of family relationships and the myths that shape them. The Condition examines the emotional distance and connections among the McKotch family, highlighting themes of denial and self-delusion. As Gwen navigates her first experience of love in her thirties, the novel reveals the intricate layers of familial bonds and the truths that bind them. This edition invites readers to reflect on the complexities of identity and the enduring influence of family dynamics.
Official synopsis Publisher
In the summer of 1976, during their annual retreat on Cape Cod, the McKotch family came apart. Now, twenty years after daughter Gwen was diagnosed with Turner’s syndrome—a rare genetic condition that keeps her trapped forever in the body of a child—eminent scientist Frank McKotch is divorced from his pedigreed wife, Paulette. Eldest son Billy, a successful cardiologist, lives a life built on secrets and compromise. His brother Scott awakened from a pot-addled adolescence to a soul-killing job and a regrettable marriage. And Gwen—bright and accomplished but hermetic and emotionally aloof—spurns all social interaction until, well into her thirties, she falls in love for the first time. With compassion and almost painful astuteness, The Condition explores the power of family mythologies—the self-delusions, denials, and inescapable truths that forever bind fathers and mothers and siblings.
FAQ
What is “The Condition A Novel” about?
Who is the author of “The Condition A Novel”?
When was “The Condition A Novel” published?
What is the ISBN for “The Condition A Novel”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
