Fireworks

by Elizabeth Winthrop

Hollis Clayton is in trouble. His wife has decamped for the summer, leaving him to pursue his increasingly overwhelming drinking; spying on neighbors; worrying about the fate of an abducted local girl; avoiding his editor, who is on the verge of rejecting his new collection of stories; and confronting as obliquely as possible the recent death of his young son. Meanwhile, he is spending more time with Jack Daniels and a stubbornly persistent stray dog than with anyone else, including his girlfriend Marissa, who has either abandoned him or been abandoned by him, he’s not sure which. A tender and comic portrait of suburban despair, Fireworks details the events of one strange summer in which a man’s troubled soul hangs in the balance. In her perceptive exploration of Hollis’s disintegrating life, Elizabeth Winthrop gives us an unforgettably powerful portrait of an anguished man, one who is both endearingly flawed and vividly real.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

ELIZABETH WINTHROP ALSOP (www.elizabethwinthropalsop.com), is the author of over sixty works of fiction for all ages, including ISLAND JUSTICE and IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, both available as e-books.

DAUGHTER OF SPIES: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies, her memoir about her parents' love affair during World War II and her own childhood in 1950s Washington as the daughter of a famous journalist, will be published October 25, 2022 by Regal House.

Her short story, The Golden Darters, was selected by Best American Short Stories by Robert Stone and was recently read on SELECTED SHORTS by the renowned actress, Ann Dowd. She is the author of the memoir piece, Don't Knock Unless You're Bleeding; Growing Up in Cold War Washington.The daughter of Stewart Alsop, the political journalist, she divides her time between New York City and the Berkshires.

Her historical novel, COUNTING ON GRACE was chosen as a Notable Book of the Year by the American Library Association, the National Council of Social Studies, the International Reading Association and the Children’s Book Council among others. The novel has also been nominated for state book awards in Vermont, Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri,Indiana, Hawaii and Arizona.

THE CASTLE IN THE ATTIC and its sequel, THE BATTLE FOR THE CASTLE, were nominated for twenty-three state book awards and are considered children’s fantasy classics.

Her popular picture books include DUMPY LA RUE, SHOES,DOG SHOW, SQUASHED IN THE MIDDLE and most recently, THE FIRST CHRISTMAS STOCKING and THE BIGGEST PARADE. Two of her recent books for older children are THE RED-HOT RATTOONS, a comic fantasy novel and DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, Letters from a Milltown Girl, a work of historical fiction set in western Massachusetts.

For more information, www.elizabethwinthrop.com

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I only finished this book because it got good reviews and I hoped it would get better, but ugh! Main character is not at all likeable or sympathetic. Reader is lead to believe that this is a book about him grieving about the death of his son, but instead it comes off as a character study of a loser.

[Amberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started and finished date – 24.09.25 to 26.09.25.
My rating – Three Stars.
This book was okay, but I didn't love it, and I was bored while reading is book also, I think people who like tinkers by Paul Harding or T. singer by Dag Solstad may like is book. The writing was okay but not great, but it took some time to get used to also the ending was okay. The atmosphere was okay, and I think author did an okay job at describing someone grieving the loss of a child. The paced of plot was well structured and steady paced. The characters were okay, but I think they need to flash out bit more.

[Sarah Funke]

Winthrop is a find. Very talented. Wasn't sure about the characters at first, but if you give her a chance with him you'll see she's just very smart about building a story from character (a skill sadly lacking in a lot of contemporary lit). Not much underlinable/quotable, but pretty solid well-crafted prose. She made me see the depth of a protagonist I didn't like much. Admired this a lot, ordering her other novel.

[Mary Whidden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept waiting for him to do something, but he never really did.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hollis Clayton is struggling. He's struggling to come to terms with the death of his son 2yrs ago, he's struggling with his writing career but he's not struggling with his fondness for "Jack" (of the bottle fame). His wife abandons him for the summer exclaiming they need time apart, to think. What follows is a book about the minutia of Hollis' life, his days, his phases, his scrutiny of life for story ideas. Some of it is painful, some of it is gentle humour. This book grows on you.

[Cat]

Really enjoyed this book. Interesting and realistic characters/situations, great comic relief from the Pratty's crew. Strange in the way that it seems like the story is slow or random, but it pulled me in and held me. I loved the details of Hollis' thinking. Will definitely read more from this author.

[Brinjal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as the first book for my readers group and found it slow and difficult to keep picking up. After discussing it with the others I realised that the pace was part of the point the author was making-a non story about a writer who wrote non stories. It is a book about grief and the numbness that many people fall into unwittingly.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to believe this book is written by a woman. It is told in the first person by a male who is going through some very rough times, in the present, and has gone through some in the past. It is not an easy read but it is quite good.

[Laurie]

On my list I just have the title, not the author, and there are a few books with this same title. This book sounds vaguely familiar and I've read this author before and the character name Hollis is familiar so this is likely the one I read!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this slowly over a few days and really enjoyed it. It's one of those books which has layers and makes you muse as you read. The 19th chapter (Yard'n'Garden) is very touching and sums up a lot of what the book is about.

9/10

[Carliegoddard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get into this book. It sounded pretty good by the jacket,but the book was too slow and didn't hold my attention at all. It almost began to feel like a chore. And when that happens.............NEXT!!!!

[Mitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time reading this book. It was just...well, a nonstory. It wasn't a bad nonstory. It just kept going and going. When I put it down, it didn't really call me back to it.

I didn't not like it. But I didn't like it either.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was sooooooooo depressing. the author managed to make me feel annoyed by someone grieving the loss of a child, which is pretty remarkable. i only kept reading it because in my head i was picturing his house as my new house and it made me excited!

[Martinxo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, thoughtfull, sweet and sad.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a long time to get through this book because I initially didn't particularly like the main character. He grew on me, though, and I was genuinely pained by his loneliness.

[Achella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very slow. Gave up!!

[MB · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me, this read like it wanted to be Richard Russo but fell short. I found the main character to be neither compelling nor funny. I didn't know why he did the things he did, and he didn't, either.

[Linda Shockey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great first novel by author Elizabeth Winthrop.

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

[Cris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of time.

[Jeness · Rating 3 out of 5]

only 15 pages in and i love it already- this is a great author!

[monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Female author writes book from male protagonist p.o.v.. Quirky story, but fun, fast read.

[Meghan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got halfway through this and gave up. I just couldn't get interested in the main character.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Chap fills the time after his wife leaves him for the summer. Doesn't do much.