The Wig My Father Wore

August 1, 2001
Funny, poignant, and surreal, Irish writer Enright's first novel, though the second to be published in the U.S. after " What Are You Like?" [BKL Ag 00], tells the story of an angel's visitation to Grace, an unconventional young Dublin woman. Stephan, the angel, was an ordinary man who committed suicide and is now growing his wings by "setting despair to rights." Grace works for a television program called " The Love Quiz," which is as tawdry as one might imagine, with a crew as lovingly close and destructive as any dysfunctional family, and her actual family is just as ordinary and bizarre. Curiously, Grace's father, who suffers from Alzheimer's, speaks with the most wisdom, and his wig is treated like a member of the family. Enright explores love, faith, and familial relationships in a way never before seen, combining chaos with insights that ring true in a novel that won't engage everyone but that will reward those bold enough to stick with it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)