Author: Richard Russo
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group
Published: July 30, 2019
Book Description: One beautiful September day, three men convene on Martha’s Vineyard, friends ever since meeting in college circa the sixties. They couldn’t have been more different then, or even today–Lincoln’s a commercial real estate broker, Teddy a tiny-press publisher, and Mickey a musician beyond his rockin’ age. But each man holds his own secrets, in addition to the monumental mystery that none of them has ever stopped puzzling over since a Memorial Day weekend right here on the Vineyard in 1971: the disappearance of the woman each of them loved–Jacy Calloway. Now, more than forty years later, as this new weekend unfolds, three lives are displayed in their entirety while the distant past confounds the present like a relentless squall of surprise and discovery. Shot through with Russo’s trademark comedy and humanity, Chances Are . . . also introduces a new level of suspense and menace that will quicken the reader’s heartbeat throughout this absorbing saga of how friendship’s bonds are every bit as constricting and rewarding as those of family or any other community.
For both longtime fans and lucky newcomers, Chances Are . . . is a stunning demonstration of a highly acclaimed author deepening and expanding his remarkable achievement.
Rating: 5 Stars
Review: Let me start by saying that Richard Russo is a national treasure. His style of storytelling is completely captivating. He is an accessible storyteller that tells the story of everyday people. This book does not disappoint. I was so enthralled for the entire story, I found myself sighing heavily because it was ending. This is my favorite book of the year and I think this will be really hard to surpass.
This story starts in 1969 around three college age men, Lincoln, Teddy and Mickey. They all work for a sorority either serving meals or working in the kitchen. Mickey finds out quickly that he is being drafted to go to Vietnam. Skip to 2015 and the three men are reuniting in Martha’s Vineyard where Lincoln owns a house. This story quickly turns into a literary mystery. The last time they were all there they also had they friend Jacy who they met in the sorority, but she went missing right after that trip never to be found.
The story centers around Teddy and Lincoln and the history that surrounds them in all these years and their own personal history. You have to wait a long time to hear from Mickey, but boy was it worth the wait, as you will be in tears.
Russo wrote a gripping story of friendship, love and how live sometimes supersedes maybe what you all wanted. He is absolutely brilliant. This is Russo’s best book yet, I hope he is considered for every major award that is available.
Obsessed Bookaholic 