emotion of really good writing. Summer is one of those rare times when indulging in reading for hours at a time is guilt-free. As a superior rationalizer, I think of it as a more intellectual version of sunbathing (even if I am under the shade of an oak tree, soaking in a lazy breeze). Leaving Lucy Pear is a wonderful study in complex characters struggling to survive the consequences of both long-ago and immediate choices. A wonderfully told tale full of life and texture. As a writer, I often find myself distracted by structure or technique, analyzing how a writer accomplished a particular effect rather than stepping into the vortex. Anna Solomon got me to that mystical place of “forgetting” I was reading and just going along for the ride. What a beautiful ride.