Ask Again, Yes

Author Mary Beth Keane
Narrator Molly Pope
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Publish Date 8 August 2019
Run Time 12 hours and 43 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Family life fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Narrative theme: Love and relationships.

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What to expect

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Ask Again, Yes written by Mary Beth Keane, read by Molly Pope.

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER & RADIO 2 SUMMER BOOK CLUB PICK, A GRIPPING FAMILY DRAMA SET IN SUBURBAN NEW YORK

'I absolutely adored it' Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of Big Little Lies

Gillam, upstate New York.

A town of ordinary, big-lawned suburban houses. The Gleesons have recently moved there and soon welcome the Stanhopes as their new neighbours. Lonely Lena Gleeson wants a friend but Anne Stanhope - cold, elegant, unstable - wants to be left alone.

It's left to their children - Lena's youngest, Kate, and Anne's only child, Peter - to find their way to one another. To form a friendship whose resilience and love will be almost broken by the fault line dividing both families, and by the terrible tragedy that will engulf them all.

A tragedy whose true origins only become clear many years later . . .

A story of love and redemption, faith and forgiveness, Ask Again, Yes reveals the way childhood memories change when viewed from the distance of adulthood - villains lose their menace, and those who appeared innocent seem less so.

A story of how, if we're lucky, the violence lurking beneath can be vanquished by the power of love.
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A PRIMA BOOK OF THE YEAR

'Immersive and deeply moving' Anna Hope, author of Expectation

'Keane takes on one of the most difficult problems in fiction - how to write about human decency . . . a compelling case for compassion over blame, understanding over grudge, and the resilience of hearts that can accept the contradictions of love' Louise Erdrich, National Book Award winning author of The Round House

'Leaves one shaking one's head in frank admiration. A triumph' Matthew Thomas, bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves

Critics Review

Stunning! An absolutely brilliant, gorgeously-written novel by a fearless writer. Ask Again, Yes is both haunting and hopeful, like life itself. It's the consummate epic family story, one I can't stop thinking and talking about. A must-read for our time

Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women

The new Little Fires Everywhere . . . Exploring mental health, grief, forgiveness and love, this conjures up the work of Celeste Ng and Anne Tyler - and we can't give higher praise than that. The perfect summer read

Stylist

Immersive and deeply moving

Anna Hope, author of Expectation

A wonderful novel about a lifetime of love . . . Focusing on a small cast over several decades allows Keane to explore universal themes: marriage, family, betrayal and forgiveness. Above all, what is a good life well lived?

Daily Mail

One of the most exceptional novels of the summer . . . Has the makings of a future classic. Keane's prose is spare and elegant and she writes about mental illness and alcholism with compassion. It's a remarkable achievement

Sunday Express

I adored this book. I sank completely into the world of this novel and loved being there from beginning to end. Ask Again, Yes reminds us that after happily-ever-after comes the grit and grief of everyday love: in-laws, illnesses, betrayals and, scariest of all, the flaws that each partner will uncover in the other. It's an absolute stunner, an ode to family and forgiveness that has been crafted with compassion and insight

Sara Collins, bestselling author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton

Compelling . . . it is neighbourly conflict, not love, that drives this quietly devastating story . . . There are multiple twists skilfully delivered. The novel raises a series of profound questions . . . [and] as an exploration of parent-child relationships, the novel is both thoughtful and powerful

Hannah Beckerman, i news

This is one beautiful book. I was wowed by Keane's writing and narrative skill - and by what she knows about trouble

Stephen King

I absolutely adored Ask Again, Yes. I was only a few chapters in when I knew Mary Beth Keane was about to become one of my favourite authors. I'll read everything she writes

Liane Moriarty

A pleasantly accessible novel that will be popular with book clubs ... Keane is a nuanced observer

The Sunday Times

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