This book is good, but not compelling. The story is touching, but not deeply moving. The prose is lovely, but not stupendous. However, I just couldn't put it down once I started reading it, and now I want to read more of Maxwell's work.

The story is about a family that is living through the 1918 influenza epidemic. Maxwell's own mother died during the epidemic. The book is only partly autobiographic. In the introduction Maxwell makes clear that he fictionalized the account although writing it touched him deeply and forced him to relive his own mother's death.

The book is short (190 pages) and written in three parts. Part one is told from the 8-year-old Bunny's perspective; part two from his 13 year-old brother Robert's perspective; and part three from their father James' perspective. Each part contributes to a collage of heart-breaking events that coalesce around Elizabeth, the mother. The boys' stories are far better than the father's, but the latter is necessary to finish the tale. Maxwell's writing is precise and efficient. He never uses two words where one will suffice, and all the details are effectively woven together. The story is realist in tone and is derived from the characters -- nothing is imposed from outside. There are no artificial plot devices or dramatic twists. In some ways, I had the impression that the three parts of the book are three character studies that just "happened" to create a story when put together.

I give the book an enthusiastic 0. I'm not rating it a simply because it is probably not for everyone. I am fascinated by the transition from the Progressive Era to the Jazz Age and by the influenza epidemic. This book is a loving portrait of the everyday lives of real people in 1918, and I enjoyed it because of the window it opens into the period. However, people who do not share this interest, or who prefer story-driven to character-driven plots, probably wouldn't enjoy the book as much as I did.

I would recommend it for quiet vacation days or sick days in bed, when you have time to enjoy the prose and to get to know the characters. It is not a book to be rushed (and I'm a book-rusher by nature--I had to struggle to slow down).

The modern library edition has a useful preface about Maxwell. It also has an introduction by Maxwell in which he discusses writing the book.