Inside The O'Briens by Lisa Genova

As usual I am not able to paste the image of this book which is a pity. My second read from this author the book held me in its thrall throughout. Joe the macho, father figure, stalwart and strong struck down with Huntington's disease in his mid forties. The diagnosis is very bleak. A neurological disease its progress is relentless ending in death. The side effects are not told - the effect on family, the loss of a career at the best part of your life, the loss of dreams for all you planned to do and the worst case scenario that you may hand over this gene to your children who have a fifty fifty chance of inheriting the disease. The story takes us from the initial onset of Joe's disease and the disbelief and shock of both Joe and Rosie to its gradual worsening and the actual physical deterioration which happens. The horror of his eldest son being diagnosed with the gene specially since his wife has just become pregnant adds to the emotional stress of the family. Meghan, the elder daughter, a dancer with the Boston Ballet is also diagnosed with the gene and Katie is left undecided whether she wants to know or not specially as she is at a rather mixed up point in their lives. Patrick is the other son who does not want to know. The manner of the handling of each character each different - one loud in their misery, the other introverted, Rosie trying to keep the family together And herself not knowing how to go about this. Each one wanting to be a support for their father in their own way, however they do not know how to be a support to each other though they are all feeling each other's pain. A story of growing up fast in the face of misfortune, family bonds and the power of enduring love very beautifully told. The book was sent to me by Netgalley courtesy of Valley, Threshold Pocket Books.