Book Summary and Reviews of Sorrow by Tiffanie DeBartolo

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CarolT

Compelling
If you are turned off by the publicity for this book, ignore the publicity. It isn't so much an examination of masculinity as of what it means to be human. (I very nearly didn't read it based on the presales publicity about masculinity.) I'm so glad I did - it is a compelling account of a not-so-young man's discovery of himself.

Toni B

Another winner by DeBartolo
Tiffanie DeBartolo's book "the God-shaped Hole" had affected me more that most books that I had read up to that time. I knew then that I would read whatever she would write and recommend her to my friends- which I have done. When I read that she was to have a new release, "Sorrow" , I couldn't wait for its release. Lo and behold, I was chosen by Bookbrowse.com to receive an early release copy and I was ecstatic. Receiving my autographed copy cheered me as little else could in 2020 and the book did not disappoint.

It is a love story yet it is also a coming of age story even though Joe Harper is in his thirties. It is a love story in the traditional sense yet it is also a concurring love story between 2 "blood brothers". The emotions are real and completely believable. It is warm, loving, frustrating , heart-breaking and heart-warming . It is everything you can ask for in a story. A story that seems so real that you will be wondering about the characters long after you turn the last page.I do not want to reveal the plot or plot twists so as not to ruin your enjoyment of its unfolding.Thus I will just leave you with a few examples of Ms. DeBartolo's luminous writing:

" You live like someone who doesn't understand how quickly all of this is going to be over. You don't realize how fast the sand moves through the hourglass. How much your dreams matter." p159

"the thing is , Harp, everyone is always one decision away from a completely different life." p171

" the way you saw me for exactly who I was but never asked me to be somebody else.. You believed in me. You changed me. You inspired me."

Trees..."the universal symbols of strength , perseverance, and survival. They're living poems in time."

"Everything we do and every moment we live can be a work of art"......"making the most mundane into something extraordinary" p27

There is so much more. Her discussions about the meaning of art, of the peace to be found in nature ,of giving of oneself, of being open to new experiences. But I hope that even giving you a taste of the writing will make you wish to read this book. As you can tell, I loved it and highly recommend it for your reading pleasure.

Thank you ,Bookbrowse.com and Woodhall Press for the early copy of the book, It was much appreciated.

Allie Marini

"It's impossible to become less of yourself by doing something you really want to do."
No one -- and I mean NO ONE -- writes a messy love story and human reconciliation quite like Tiffanie De Bartolo. This author has had my heart since the 90's, when Dream for an Insomniac came out. For every decade of my life, Tiffanie DeBartolo has given me a book to help me get through the euphoric highs and soul-crushing lows of love, friendship, figuring out what you want, and understanding how to forgive those who hurt you, and how to forgive yourself for those you've hurt. In her body of work, love is an unavoidable, glorious mess that well-meaning people make, and it's also the exact thing that becomes their saving grace.

In every piece of her work, people fumble towards joy, work their way through pains of their own making, and sometimes discover how to reconcile the two. There are no true villains; only people whose timing is flawed. That's a rarity in novels with a love story, and I'll never tire of the way that DeBartolo takes careful consideration in making love triangles about the humanity of everyone involved, rather than the conflict of changing hearts.

Sorrow is maybe the most mature work from DeBartolo yet, which is perfect for readers who are past the messy drama of their 20s, and want a different kind of love story, populated by characters who have already figured out some things -- but not everything. I've always been fascinated by how well DeBartolo writes male characters, with an emotional complexity and depth that is completely unique. Joe Harper feels like a person that most readers will immediately recognize, and for most of the novel, I felt almost as though I was reading a series of letters from a friend.

For those who are familiar with the Bay Area (specifically, the North Bay), there are Easter Eggs galore, from Joe eating the best Puerto Rican food in NorCal at Sol Foods to Tiffanie's own dog making a cameo appearance (hi Dipsea!) -- all these little hidden gems contribute to the authenticity of the setting of the novel as a character in its own right, and the natural way that the story unfolds.

October has a lot in common with some of DeBartolo's pantheon of layered, interesting female characters. She's got the whimsy of Frankie, the soul of Trixie, and the tenacity of Eliza. If you love art, music, and the North Bay Redwoods, you'll love Sorrow.

As is my my way with Tiffanie DeBartolo's work, as I worked my way through the last pages, I found myself reading through the tears and hoping that there won't be such a long wait for the next book.

Completely unrelated to this review: I have written all of one writer fangirl letter in my entire life, and it was to Tiffanie DeBartolo. She wrote back to me, and was incredibly generous and encouraging. This has nothing to do with this novel -- but it also has everything to do with this novel. Great writers aren't always great people, and I feel that it bears mentioning when the two intersect.