Serendipity

November 3, 2008
Shaffer's ho-hum latest (after Family Acts
) chronicles a neurotic New Yorker's quest to learn more about her recently deceased and famous mother. Carrie Manning, the daughter of philanthropist Rose and legendary playwright Bobby Manning, uncovers some secrets about mother while cleaning out her apartment. Reluctant to contact her estranged grandmother, celebrated stage actress Lu Lawson, Carrie talks to her great-uncle Paulie, who relays the story of Carrie's great-grandmother Mifalda, an illegitimate child raised by nuns. Fearing her “bad blood” corrupted Lu, Mifalda does her best to prevent Lu from becoming a singer, but when Lu eventually has a baby out of wedlock, Mifalda raises the child as Lu pursues her Broadway career. While Shaffer conveys how Rose's constant criticism plunged Carrie into an unhappy life, Carrie comes off as ditzy and simple, and Bobby and Rose feel stock. Often heavy-handed and prone to stating the obvious (“The thing about smiling and pretending—and tongue biting—year after year is that eventually it takes its toll”), Shaffer gets in the way of a promising premise.

February 1, 2009
Shaffer, author of southern-fried charmers (Family Acts, 2007, etc.), is at her best here with a multigenerational saga set amid the bright lights of Broadway.

When Rose Manning dies, all of philanthropic Manhattan shows up for her funeral. But daughter Carrie realizes the eulogies praise Rose the humanitarian, leaving Rose the human a mystery—even to Carrie. While still a baby, Carrie's family fell apart: Her father, boy-genius Broadway composer Bobby Manning, died; Rose broke all ties with her mother Lu Lawson (musical theater's biggest star); Rose relinquished their Fifth Avenue lifestyle and subsequently dedicated her life to helping the homeless. The press loved gorgeous Rose, the selfless young widow. But for Carrie, living with an altruistic mother left little room for happiness. Carrie decides to go in search of Rose's past, and starts with great-uncle Paulie, Lu's big brother, in his 80s and still living in New Haven, Conn. Paulie says the problems began with Mifalda, Carrie's great-grandmother, a young bride from Italy. And so Carrie's family saga begins, an entertaining mix of feminism-lite (women need self-fulfillment!) and a passionate rendering of theater life. Mifalda finds domestic life empty, though that doesn't prevent her from planning the same for her spirited daughter Lucia. But modern little Lu has other dreams: With a musical gift and an indulgent father, it's not long before her talents are requested at recitals and weddings. When she accidentally becomes pregnant, Mifalda agrees to look after little Rose while Lu pursues her showbiz dreams. But when Mifalda dies and Rose goes to live with the rich star Lu has become, Rose becomes embittered and disapproving. Carrie then goes to George Standish, Lu's conductor and best friend, for the next chapter of the story—the tumultuous marriage of her parents. Self-indulgent Bobby and pious Rose couldn't have made a worse match, but it's not until Carrie meets her grandmother Lu that she gets the whole sad story.

Like the best Broadway musicals—revels in bigger-than-life moments and is filled with just enough sadness and truth.

(COPYRIGHT (2009) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from December 15, 2008
Carrie is the daughter of Rose Manning, one of the most famous humanitarians in New York City. Rose, known for her beauty, wit, and heroic selflessness, left her daughter with more questions than answers when she died. Now, at 37, Carrie searches for clues about Rose's past in the hopes of understanding the rift between her mother and her larger-than-life, theatrical legend grandmother, Lu Lawson. There has always been mystery surrounding Carrie's family; Rose forbade Carrie to talk to her grandmother and to talk much about her father. Complicating these matters further, Carrie recently walked out on her fiancé only days before her wedding. Shaffer ("Family Acts"; "The Three Miss Margarets"), also a Broadway and TV actor, unfolds the story of Carrie's family, from her Italian great-grandmother's sacrifices to her mother's complicated past, with such ease it is as though one is having an engaging conversation with the characters. All the female characters, who could have been depicted in a less-skilled writer's hands as either wholly good or evil, are refreshingly multidimensional and come wonderfully to life. Highly recommended for all public libraries.Anastasia Diamond-Ortiz, Cleveland P.L.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.