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Back to Grace
When Giuseppe (Zep) Marco slips on an errant tomato in the grocery store one exceptionally lonely Monday, he is rescued by three unlikely women – the young store manager, Lorena, and Carol, a middle aged woman with her mentally failing mother, Mae, in tow. After escorting Zep safely home and staying for coffee and bread, each of the ladies finds reasons to return, until they all begin to come together for regular outings over the course of a beautiful summer. The deep and abiding bonds they form without intention, will end up giving each of them the ability to move beyond their dormant lives. Back to Grace is the recipient of two Finalist - 2014 IPNE Book Awards, and Honorable Mention - 2012 New York Book Festival.
328 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2012
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14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 13, 2013
“Back to Grace” opens with a death: Giuseppe (Zep) Marco’s last companion, Major, has died, and Zep’s son-in-law is carrying the dog’s body out of the house. Zep is already a middle-aged widower who, after the fairly recent death of his wife, still feels like an amputee. On an “exceptionally lonely Monday,” Zep takes a spill in the grocery store, and his fall gains him the sympathies of Lorena, the store manager; Carol, a woman about Zep’s age; and Mae, Carol’s mother, who is struggling with dementia. The chance meeting of all four becomes the point of departure for a summer of get-togethers and emotional excursions. “Back to Grace” is the story of how individuals cope with the difficulties and tragedies built into life, of how they find redemptive moments in the most commonplace situations. I’m reminded in some respects of Judith Guest’s “Ordinary People” although Monzione’s characters are even more ordinary since they are from much humbler economic backgrounds than the Jarretts portrayed in Guest’s novel.
There are numerous reasons to read a novel; “Back to Grace” is one we read for perhaps the most compelling reason: to spend time with the characters. And, perhaps just as importantly, because these characters are not nobility or celebrities, they could be ourselves or people we know. Indeed, the novel itself is essentially something that could happen to any one of us (and probably has to some of us). It’s a great relief to see a book that doesn’t rely on one contrived gimmick or another—an exotic place, a covert plot to overthrow government, a secret society. “Back to Grace” moves at a leisurely pace, but once you are acquainted with the principle players, you’ll enjoy watching them get to know each other, share life experiences, and solidify their relationships. The slowness will feel natural—would anyone want to speed up a sunset?
There are numerous reasons to read a novel; “Back to Grace” is one we read for perhaps the most compelling reason: to spend time with the characters. And, perhaps just as importantly, because these characters are not nobility or celebrities, they could be ourselves or people we know. Indeed, the novel itself is essentially something that could happen to any one of us (and probably has to some of us). It’s a great relief to see a book that doesn’t rely on one contrived gimmick or another—an exotic place, a covert plot to overthrow government, a secret society. “Back to Grace” moves at a leisurely pace, but once you are acquainted with the principle players, you’ll enjoy watching them get to know each other, share life experiences, and solidify their relationships. The slowness will feel natural—would anyone want to speed up a sunset?
April 29, 2021
I found this book on the bookshelf and chose to read it because I saw that my name was on it. The story wasn't that interesting in the beginning but it was relaxing so I chose to continue reading it. the story follows a group of people, Zep, Lorena, Carol, and Mae, and their time together after they all met during a tomato accident. I enjoyed this story at first because there really wasn't a plot. It was just like watching a filler episode of a TV show: nice and calm with no conflict. You are able to get a really good sense of who the characters are and how they act because of this.
As the book progressed, the author tried to introduce love interests and mystery which I thought was strange. It was almost as if they realized that there was nothing exciting going on so they just pasted it in. I personally believe the story would have been the exact same without the love interests. The mystery was interesting but it really led nowhere in the end. There was no cathartic ending or resolution of any kind, the book kind of just ended.
Although I do have many problems with this book, it wasn't painful to read through. The author has a pleasant voice and it was actually quite relaxing to read. I would not recommend this book for people who are looking for action and adventure, though. This is the kind of book I would expect people to read in the summer at the beach.
Overall, I think this book could have been much better if the author built the mystery up more and had a better resolution at the end. Once I finished the book, I still had tons of questions and there were tons of plot holes in the story.
As the book progressed, the author tried to introduce love interests and mystery which I thought was strange. It was almost as if they realized that there was nothing exciting going on so they just pasted it in. I personally believe the story would have been the exact same without the love interests. The mystery was interesting but it really led nowhere in the end. There was no cathartic ending or resolution of any kind, the book kind of just ended.
Although I do have many problems with this book, it wasn't painful to read through. The author has a pleasant voice and it was actually quite relaxing to read. I would not recommend this book for people who are looking for action and adventure, though. This is the kind of book I would expect people to read in the summer at the beach.
Overall, I think this book could have been much better if the author built the mystery up more and had a better resolution at the end. Once I finished the book, I still had tons of questions and there were tons of plot holes in the story.
June 30, 2013
Back to Grace by A. M. Monzione is a quick read, a story about friendship, about how people unexpectedly come together to support one another in times when it seems we could be all alone. It is a woman's story; an interesting look at multi-age friendship. There are male characters, only one of which, however, figures as a primary tension builder.
Monzione brings the old and the young into focus as they interact around the foibles of several generations. She manages to focus on how infirmity can actually be a gift even when it seems most like an imposition. The humor in the story, and there is a good deal that will make a reader smile, resides in the most infirm who is also the strongest character.
"Back to Grace" celebrates kindness and thoughtfulness. It deals successfully with loss. The characters are real; the myriad details are harmonious; and the ending, although expected, works well.
If there is any aspect of the book that a reader might question, it would be in the 'goodness' inherent in each character.
Monzione brings the old and the young into focus as they interact around the foibles of several generations. She manages to focus on how infirmity can actually be a gift even when it seems most like an imposition. The humor in the story, and there is a good deal that will make a reader smile, resides in the most infirm who is also the strongest character.
"Back to Grace" celebrates kindness and thoughtfulness. It deals successfully with loss. The characters are real; the myriad details are harmonious; and the ending, although expected, works well.
If there is any aspect of the book that a reader might question, it would be in the 'goodness' inherent in each character.
May 26, 2013
I hope the characters I created in this humble story will resonate with readers in some way. They came to life for me as I wrote them and each one established his or her own journey along the way. Thanks for giving "Back to Grace" your consideration.
August 6, 2019
Back to Grace
“Don’t miss the turn on the way back. If you miss Acorn, you....”
Ben finished it, “...have to go all around creation to get back to Grace. I know.”
Some things are pre-ordained. People who cross your life for a moment, only to return in some way, seemingly when you need them most. For the four main protagonists in Monzione's story, the threads that wind through their lives binding them together seem almost too random. Carol & Mae, Lorena, and Zep. Monzione's writes each of their characters as foreign to the others, yet somehow you see them being inexorably drawn into each other's lives. From different walks of life, at different stages of life, yet somehow their coming together is eminently right.
It's a simple story at the heart - the story of a woman's trajectory of dementia, but the individual threads that fill the periphery of Mae's story are woven together masterfully into a rich tapestry that the reader is increasingly mesmerized by.
Though the author neatly wraps up each story, I can't help but hope that I'll see these people again sometime soon.
“Don’t miss the turn on the way back. If you miss Acorn, you....”
Ben finished it, “...have to go all around creation to get back to Grace. I know.”
Some things are pre-ordained. People who cross your life for a moment, only to return in some way, seemingly when you need them most. For the four main protagonists in Monzione's story, the threads that wind through their lives binding them together seem almost too random. Carol & Mae, Lorena, and Zep. Monzione's writes each of their characters as foreign to the others, yet somehow you see them being inexorably drawn into each other's lives. From different walks of life, at different stages of life, yet somehow their coming together is eminently right.
It's a simple story at the heart - the story of a woman's trajectory of dementia, but the individual threads that fill the periphery of Mae's story are woven together masterfully into a rich tapestry that the reader is increasingly mesmerized by.
Though the author neatly wraps up each story, I can't help but hope that I'll see these people again sometime soon.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews