Maureen

Reviews

“A beautiful novella about motherhood, grief and the power of forgiveness. . . . Prickly and wary of strangers, Maureen is nonetheless portrayed with compassion and tenderness by Joyce, and the novel’s conclusion is deeply moving and life-affirming.”—The Observer

“This slim novella . . . contains a world of emotion . . . The kindness of strangers is Joyce’s theme, as well as forgiveness and grief. No one writes difficult feelings better.”—The Daily Mail

“This book echoes ‘Harold Fry’—the journey brings some redemption, some understanding, and some peace. . . . Joyce gets brilliantly right the physical details of the trip, as well as Maureen’s emotional transformation. It is not sudden, it is not miraculous, it is not complete, but it is entirely believable. . . . Joyce is an empathetic writer, and the story is one of hope and redemption.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune

“A real treat . . . A story about belonging and understanding.”—Prima

“[This] slim, lyrical book . . . delves deeply into a character who is at once familiar and enigmatic. . . . Bittersweet and quietly stunning, Maureen is a poignant end to Joyce’s trilogy about the Frys and a meditation on opening up and moving forward.”—Shelf Awareness

“I was enthralled from the first page of this short, powerful book. We all have some Maureen inside us, and so the journey we take with her across England and into her own personal tumult is a satisfying, visceral one.”—Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward

“This book is a perfect gem. Fans of Olive Kitteridge and Eleanor Oliphant will love Maureen Fry, and it’s a brilliant coda to the Harold Fry series.”—J. Ryan Stradal, bestselling author of The Lager Queen of Minnesota

“This is a quiet miracle of a book. Rachel Joyce is a master at mixing humor and pathos, and at showing hard truths about life that nonetheless make us grateful to be here.”—Elizabeth Berg, author of The Story of Arthur Truluv and Earth’s the Right Place for Love

“Profoundly moving and deeply human, this story of self-discovery and forgiveness is essential reading. I loved every word.”—Bonnie Garmus, New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

“I adored Harold and Queenie, but who knew Maureen waited in the wings to steal my heart? A testament to just how exquisitely Rachel Joyce understands people, and written with kindness and such perception. I can’t recommend it enough.”—Joanna Cannon, bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and A Tidy Ending

“Maureen is so beautifully and unflinchingly portrayed—a complex contradiction of brittle and prickly with an underbelly of fragility and fear. Her journey is compelling and profoundly moving and leaves the reader feeling fully satisfied and just a little lighter.”—Ruth Hogan, author of Madame Burova and The Keeper of Lost Things Expand reviews